A Light in the Heart of the Misfit
by RogueFanKC
Summary: Set in Red Witch's Misfitverse! The Misfits and Joes must fight off an ancient curse as they struggle to race against time to defend a race called the Dinosaucers against Eddington and the Whitelighters, yet is there hope for a new mutant child? Complete
1. Tears of the Past

**Author's notes: I do not own ANY of the characters except Justin, Montacera, Struthio, Compy, Raptor, and Plateo; the soon-to-be-revealed cartoon I'm crossover with this universe belongs to Coca-Cola Telecommunications Inc. and DiC Enterprises. The Misfits-universe is set in the "X-Men Evolution" and "G.I. Joe" timelines, both owned by Marvel Comics and Sunbow Entertainment respectively. The original characters of the Misfits: Althea, Xi, Trinity, Blind Master, and Lina Chakram all belong to the wonderfully talented and brilliant fellow fan fiction author, "Red Witch". I am in no way using this story to make money and I hereby acknowledge all facts I have earlier stated. So please for the love of God don't sue me! )**

**A Light in the Heart of the Misfit**

**CHAPTER 1: Tears of the Past**

"Ew, what is this kid?!" whined a girl sitting nearby.

"Get out of this café, you miserable scamp!!" yelled the burly, mustached proprietor.

"But...but I just wanted to buy something...I'm so hungry," whined the five-year-old Justin, but then another woman sitting nearby lost her temper, and snarling, she took her ceramic mug of hot coffee and threw it hard at Justin's head. Shrieking, the child ducked, but it still managed to graze his forehead painfully, causing it to swell into an ugly, purple bruise which then started to bleed.

"Get this trash out!!" she screeched in a tone of unbelieving anger and fear, "You have no place with respectable folk, you hobo!!"

Justin then started crying.

"But...but I have no place to go," he sobbed pitifully, "Please, I just want something to eat! I have money!"

Now red in the face from fury, the owner of the café grabbed Justin roughly by the collar of his frayed shirt, not caring if he was hurting the young one, roaring, "Get your goddamn hide of my floor, take your filthy money, and never come back to disgrace my store, you little runt!!"

With a cruel shove, the landlord threw Justin onto the pavement outside the café shop, and the child could feel his scraped chin starting to dribble along with his forehead. The skins of his knees were stinging, and his neck still ached from the nails of the fingers that the mustached owner dug into his neck. Still, the boy tried to crawl back into the café, begging for mercy and whining, "Please, I'm so hungry! I just want some food!"

Now at a new level of viciousness, the café owner bared his teeth, bellowing, "GO AWAY, YOU DUMB KID!!!"

Justin didn't expect the man's foot to brutally collide with his stomach, but Justin certainly felt the result. Winded, Justin laid curdled onto the sidewalk, whimpering with pain and hurt as the man spat at him and then left him alone.

Justin then found himself back at the orphanage where he remembered staying from the beginning of his life. He didn't recall ever living anywhere else before that, not that it did much good.

"Where did you pick up this piece of trash?" scorned Mr. Barnes, the headmaster and supervisor of the Cedar Crossroads Orphanage, and the look of disgust and contempt on his face was so demeaning, Justin just tried to shrink closer to the bailiff who found him, but also sickened, the bailiff shoved Justin away roughly, sending him to the wooden floor in a heap.

"Found the vagabond in a dumpster, trying to burrow in the garbage for warmth," he spat with revulsion, as if Justin wasn't anything else but a beggar. Justin shivered with fear as he continued, "Don't see how you're going to get some couple to adopt that brat, though."

"We'll give him two months, then," Mr. Barnes said soothingly before smiling evilly, like a cat cornering its prey, savage and full of sickening anticipation, "If this child can't get any parents to feel sorry for this hopeless charity case, no one would...miss him."

Justin then was surrounded by older kids, both girls and boys, at the orphanage playground. He remembered that no one wanted to play with him, with the girls spreading vicious rumors behind his back and running off, giggling and laughing at his expense. The boys were much more sadistic, with them giving Justin the cold shoulder whenever he tried to join in one of their games to shoving Justin in the dirt to poking him in the middle of the night after curfew during his sleep, constantly tormenting him from having a peaceful rest, to ganging up on Justin and beating him to the ground. Sometimes, the girls stood by, cheering and encouraging more violence. And none of the administrators of the orphanage ever stopped it. And when Justin tried to tell a teacher, she slapped him hard across the face.

"Lies," she hissed as she marched Justin to Barnes office by the ear, tugging painfully, "I should have known to expect nothing but filthy lies from such a piece of ill-forsaken, awful dirt like you! You filthy, horrible piece of waste!!"

Barnes then had Justin remove his shirt and get down on all fours, like an animal, as he took out the slim, smooth, wooden pointer he used for his chalkboard and gave Justin a vicious beating, causing ugly red welts to pop up on Justin's smooth back, like roses of blood or a cherry tree in full bloom.

"It's been only one week, and I can already tell you are nothing but trouble," Barnes panted as he used all of his exertion to bring the pointer down harder and harder on the boy's back, "You soil everyone you meet, like a horrible plague, ruining the potential of every pure and saintly child I have here!! You're nothing but a curse on all decent folk, you stupid, worthless, little horror!!"

It was amazing how Justin thought the words were much, much worse than the whipping he was receiving, even at that young age.

Then Justin found himself wandering the streets, cold, shivering, and soaked to the bone under the dark streets during a heavy rainstorm. Barnes had thrown him out of the orphanage and left the child stranded in an unknown alley. He remembered a police car, doing its evening watch of the neighborhood, stopping when the two police officers inside immediately spotted him, like a pack of hounds closing in on the foxhunt.

"Where the hell do you think you're going, kid?!" growled one policeman as he shone his flashlight painfully into Justin's eyes, blinding the six-year-old. Justin was so scared; he couldn't utter a single word. He just whined and whimpered painfully, cold and sick. The other policeman then lost his temper as he continued staring at the child, as if merely looking at Justin was enough of a reason to hate him. With a flash, Justin felt the adult's hand slap down on his head painfully, sending him reeling on the pavement. Justin tried to scream, but the officer then had his hand tightly wound around the child's throat, strangling him slowly and excruciatingly. Justin tried to struggle and fight, but all he could see was the rage and hate that were blazing from the lawman's eyes, red and dangerous.

Justin didn't remember much after that, but he next became aware that he was riding on something moving, bumping softly every one in a while. The child could see that he was in the back of the police car, and somehow, it was about noon, the sun radiating its hot sunbeams all around. Justin couldn't move, was so tired and sore that even his brain could barely make out a single conscious thought, and all the boy could do was silently cry tears mixed with the blood dripping down his head. Each part of his body was screaming in agonizing fire. Every once in a while, the two policemen would glance behind into the backseat to scowl at the child.

"Think he's still alive after what we did to him?" one asked impassively, as if he was simply discussing the weather.

"He better not. That damn son of a bitch ruined the upholstery with his blood, and it's going to take months to clean and rid this unit of the smell. Dumb mutt! But if he's still kicking, it won't do him any good anyway."

He was no better than a dog. No, he was even worse than a dog. People would actually take pity on an abandoned animal.

Justin then found himself waking up in the middle of a desert, with the sun beating on his neck and heated hair, where the police officers abandoned him. Apparently, they must have driven him for quite a while for Justin felt so dazed and stiff, as if he slept for days. The city was nowhere to be spotted along the horizons, so the grownups must have taken him past the city limits. Lost and alone, Justin tried walking across the desert plains, the heat becoming unbearable as his skin cried and cracked underneath the dried blood, but he had no idea what to do. There was no one around, and there were no houses or buildings for miles. As far as Justin could tell, he was in a wasteland, left behind like a piece of junk. For two days, Justin made his way towards the mountains of the arid region, having no food or water, his throat parched and his stomach growling.

It was night time, with the stars and moon high above, when Justin finally collapsed, now close to death. Justin tried to pick himself up, but he just wanted to die. To pass away so that he wouldn't live with the torment anymore. With the cold temperature of the desert now setting in at freezing and the dry air blanketing him with grime and dust, it would only take a matter of hours. He then remembered hearing someone large and heavy move around him, then two more people, then a crowd. Instinctively, Justin knew, like every person who had ever come across him, that they would kill Justin the instant they set their eyes upon him. This would be it. Motionless and drained, the child could only lie sprawled there, severely weak and almost drowsy with exhaustion and sickness. Something cool and bumpy was softly touching his bloody, sunburned back and neck, then his forehead, and it was a refreshing welcome, so relieving. It didn't hurt at all...for once.

"He's burning with fever, and...he's been...by Reptilion, he's been brutally assaulted!!" a figure said in horror, probably the one handling him.

"Dear mother planet, he's just a child!" gasped a female voice, full of shock.

A set of sharp points were now probing his skin, feeling along Justin's shoulder, his head, and his back. A voice then said in a controlled, cool tone, "Lacerations and bruises everywhere...signs of extreme dehydration...infection has started to set...and I think one of the boy's ribs is severely fractured as well."

"Let me," a deep, baritone yet kind voice said as the hulking form pushed his way through and under the full moon, Justin could see clearly who the figure was, face to face. Justin felt the tears of fear and alarm drip down his cheek again as he could now fully view the creature. It was a huge brown lizard, no, make that a dinosaur, standing on his hind legs and wearing some sort of odd suit, green and gray and blue, that was made of some kind of metal. The dinosaur-man then reached over and picked up the six-year-old boy, cradling him gently, like a tiny bundle of bloody rags in his massive arms. Justin tried to whimper and move away, but the dinosaur held him soothingly, shushing kindly. Being so weak, Justin could only go limp.

"Shhhh, shhh, shhh, it's all right, kid, I'm not going to hurt you," the dinosaur-man said gently, his eyes full of concern and pity, "What's your name, little one? Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you. We're your friends."

Justin then started sobbing as he burrowed his face into the dinosaur's chest, now completely broken.

"It sounds like he really likes _you_, Allo," one figure commented very wryly and sarcastically.

"Shut up, Tricero," shot back the dinosaur-man in good humor as he continued to hold Justin gently in his arms, cuddling him and soothing him. Justin then opened his eyes to look up to the dinosaur-man, but to his horror, he saw that it was no longer the dinosaur who was holding him, but a human, a tall, strapping man with meticulous brown hair, a trimmed goatee, and the adult was wearing a white robe laced with a hem of the purest silver. Only this time, like all the other people Justin had ever met up with, this man was glaring hatefully at him, and Justin could not even control his own mouth to yell as the man took out a jewel-encrusted obsidian dagger from the sleeve of his garment, the moonlight glinting off the razor-sharp black blade.

"A reckoning, half-breed," the man snarled as he raised the knife over his head, "A reckoning on your sixteenth year of birth!"

Justin's voice then finally found itself fully functional, and Justin screamed with all his might as the weapon plunged into his chest.

**Author's note: Well, check back next Friday for the chapter "Bitter Sixteen" and a thousand fan points to whoever can guess which cartoon I'm bringing into Red Witch's Misfit-verse! Hint: it was an 80s cartoon and had a very catchy theme song. Check back next week! Read and review! Constructive criticism welcome! Flames will be ignored and deleted. **


	2. Bitter Sixteen

**Author's note: I do not own the Christian song "If You Want Me To"; it is the sole property of Ginny Owens and Christian Music Media. Anyway, let us see who are the unlucky...er, "lucky" people to be cross-over with Red Witch's Misfits!**

**Justin: What did WE ever do to you?**

**CHAPTER 2: Bitter Sixteen**

Justin woke up screaming as he sat upright in his bed until he realized...he was having another nightmare. It was just a nightmare, reflections of his past. He wasn't in the desert, he wasn't at the orphanage, and he wasn't in the back of the patrol car. Justin was safe, in his bed, under his blankets, in his room. Where he had always been for the past ten years. He was no longer that scared, little boy, but a teenager, slightly chubby, but with a broad frame, short brown hair, and hazel eyes. Yet, that man...that bearded man who always called him "half-breed" and threatened to kill him at his sixteenth year of age. The mysterious, enigmatic assassin. It was always the same in every nightmare. The man in white always threatened to kill him, always threatened to murder him with the wicked dark weapon. Justin never saw such a person in his life, so why would he even...?

The teenager's breaths were deep gasps, his lungs begging to be extinguished with cold, refreshing air. Sweat was already starting to bead on his pale neck and trickle down the collar of his white undershirt. Justin just shivered to himself as he drew his knees to his chest, hugging them close, shut his eyes, and whispered to himself in an unconvincing mantra, "It was just a dream, it was just a dream, it was just a dream..."

The light to his bedroom clicked open as the door slid to the left with a gentle "_hrmmm_", welcoming in the anthropomorphic dinosaur humanoid that towered over the adolescent by more than twice the human boy's height.

"Justin?" the dinosaur asked forwardly, his eyes full of worry and loving guardianship, "I heard you screaming again."

"It was just another nightmare, Dad," choked Justin in embarrassment.

"I know, son. C'mere," Allo said as he sat next to Justin on his bed and, in a relaxing gesture, started rubbing the teenager's back with one hand. Allo was a powerful warrior, being the leader of the Dinosaucers and a former advisor back at Reptilion, with steel, corded muscles, a bulky, strapping frame covered with hard, protective, dark-brown, leathery, pebbled skin, and sharp talons that could rip anyone or anything to shreds in a matter of seconds. If any outside stranger was watching, he or she would simply classify Allo as a humanistic, talking allosaurus, complete with the snout, the teeth, and the tail. But unlike the infamous dinosaur, Allo had perfectly humanistic long arms and legs, including five digits on his hands and feet. Yet despite his fearsome appearance, Allo also was sage, gentle, and kind-hearted when he wanted to be, yet cunning and devious when it came to matters of war and battle and strategy. Right now, Allo, being alarmed at his son's yells, had recently bolted out of bed to tend to Justin, and Justin could see that his adoptive father was wearing only light-fitting pajama trousers and no shirt, the bedroom light shining off his scaly skin stretched tightly over the muscles of his chest and back.

Allo just frowned thoughtfully as he continued rubbing Justin's back, feeling the light ridges of the scars left behind from Justin's previous encounters with the orphanage. This certainly wasn't the first time Justin had these night terrors. Ever since Justin was healing in their medical ward, Dimetro and Teryx concluded that Justin would probably experience trauma for the rest of his life, and even in his ten years at the Lavadome, they had only begun to scratch the surface. It deeply angered and saddened the dinosaur whenever he reflected back on how much abuse, verbal and physical, Justin had gone through. That was one of the reasons Allo willingly adopted Justin after the deaths of his wife and daughter to the wars on Reptilion with the Tyrannos a year shy of Justin's arrival. Allo had never been able to get over the crushing guilt and grief at the loss of his family, and when Justin came, Allo, for some reason, felt a huge surge of protectiveness and tenderness...something he thought he would never feel when he buried Vera and Alloette. Justin was like a second chance, a second chance for him to start another family, and it was a chance Allo desperately needed. Wanted, really. He wasn't so sure how much longer he could have lived with the pain of what was no more if Justin had not arrived in his life. Even though the Secret Scouts and Tricero and Dimetro objected, saying how Justin needed to be with human parents, needed to back with his own race, Allo stood firm. And when the Secret Scouts tried to bring Justin back to the city and had to rescue Justin from being killed by a mob who, for some reason, tried to overwhelm the boy the minute they set their eyes on him, it further supported Allo's argument that Justin would be safer under the Dinosaucers' guardianship. After all, they wouldn't be going back to Reptilion since it was now a barren wasteland from war, earthquakes and famine, and though new survivors were periodically being found and brought to Earth for recuperation and healing, there was hardly a chance of rebuilding the civilization that was lost. So since they were staying on Earth, Justin would always have a home at their headquarters.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Allo asked gently, Justin's breathing now being rhythmical and relaxed from the rubbing.

"What's the point?" sniffed Justin, shuddering, "I've talked it so many times, I think even Bonehead and Stego know my life and my past by heart now, and it still doesn't stop! It never ends! It's like I can't ever let this go, and I don't even know why! It's always so painful to see it over again and again and again!"

Allo could feel the barbed frustration and tiredness of it all in the adolescent's voice.

"Justin, it's never easy to forget about such travesties and unfair assaults you had received, even at that early of an age, but it would never do anyone any good for you to simply forget about it either. As much as you hate to admit it, those events have made you more cautious, and it taught you to always expect danger from the outside world. If you simply forgot about what those people had done to you for no reason at all, what the people have committed against you, a small, helpless boy, then you would just be allowing them to repeat those perversions on other innocent people and yourself, if you gave them the chance. But...you should try to remind yourself that they can't hurt you now, that you aren't in danger anymore. No matter how much these dreams come, it can't change the reality that you're safe now, that you have us and the Secret Scouts, and that you're at home here."

"But...but I just wish I..." Justin paused, catching himself. Despite all the time he spent with Allo and the rest of the Dinosaucers, he never told anyone about the mysterious man in white who swore Justin's death. Not even Allo himself, and the guilt of omission was crushing at times.

The rubbing stopped, and Allo asked with great curiosity, "You wish what?"

"Nothing what I haven't wished before," Justin quickly covered, "that I just wish I knew why everyone hated me so much, that no matter who I seem to meet, every person just wants to see me hurt...or dead."

Allo crinkled his brow, feeling that Justin wasn't telling him everything, but he let it be. The surrogate parent never forced Justin to pry his thoughts and opinions. If Justin wanted to trust Allo with his secrets, the child would do so when he was ready.

Allo then tried to act jovial, smoothly changing the subject by saying, "Well, there's no point in divulging in tragic thoughts of the past, son. You should get some rest for tomorrow. It'll be your egg day, the big turning point of sixteen years of age, and if I recall how much of a fuss Sarah, Ryan, Paul, and David put up on their respective birthdays, it will be a huge accomplishment and symbol of your coming of age tomorrow."

Allo then checked the white digital clock next to Justin's bed and saw it was actually 3:47 A.M. He corrected himself weakly, "Well, technically, it's today, but I guess it doesn't really make much of a difference."

He then forced Justin to look into his huge brown eyes by gently placing a claw on Justin's cheek as he said with loving care, "But it also a celebration for myself as well, Justin. I can honestly say your birthday has great significance to me, much more than any of the Dinosaucers here. It's because it was the day we found you in the desert, the day you came into our lives and gave me the chance to be a father again. It was the day I became alive again, after so many months of grieving and sorrow. And that is something I will always treasure, Justin. Don't ever forget that, all right, my son?"

Justin then gave a forced smile as Allo slowly hugged him, but inside he started to curdle and shiver. Though Justin had no idea what was his actual day of birth, the Dinosaucers made it on the day he was discovered and taken into their ward. Since there was no hope of ever finding his parents and discovering the actual truth, Allo decided that the day should really celebrate when Justin became one of the family. So it was made officially on June 3rd, and each year, the Dinosaucers commemorated the day with great care and joy. Yet, since it was his sixteenth day, Justin couldn't help but hear the words of cold hate and ice echoing in his head.

"_A reckoning, half-breed! A reckoning on your sixteenth year of birth!_"

Justin's breathing became a bit labored, and Justin tried not to shiver again. He didn't want to alarm Allo.

"I'm not so sure I can go back to sleep though, Dad. I'm...I'm still a bit edgy from the nightmare. And...and I just hope it's not a bad omen." That was the closest he would get to confessing the prophetic warning of doom to Allo.

"I'll stay with you, then. Just try to rest, son, all right?"

Justin just gave a small grunt of consent, and Allo turned off the bedroom light, letting the moon flood in through the blinds of the window, as he sat back on Justin's bed, and comfortingly ruffled the teen's hair, slowly and therapeutically. The intimate, fatherly touch was better than any security blanket or teddy bear to Justin, and he had to let out a small smile of peace, almost temporarily forgetting the horror as he just lay there, on his stomach and facing the dinosaur in the stillness of the dark, feeling the claws dance delicately across his head. This continued for a while, but neither Allo nor Justin complained. Allo then softly started singing in his deep voice, and Justin felt the fatigue crawl into his body again as he heard the familiar words. It was a song made from a Christian prayer, sung by Ginny Owens, one of Justin's favorite music artists, and he and Allo knew it by heart, making it their song of father-son bond.

It was the song, _If You Want Me To_, and Allo always managed to sing it so beautifully that the notes seemed to flow into Justin's soul with much needed warmth and love as Justin felt himself dozing off underneath his protective father's claws and the Dinosaucer's deep, fatherly voice.

In a few minutes, Allo reached the end of the song and heard Justin's soft snoring as he observed that his son was now asleep at last. Smiling, the dinosaur drew the quilt and covered his son with it up to the child's shoulders before leaving the bedroom to his own chambers, whispering over his shoulder, "Goodnight, son."

**Yep, a thousand fan points to Sparky Genocide for pointing out that the cross-over was "Dinosaucers"! And it wasn't really cheating! Despite being on TV for only a year, it was one of my favorite 80 cartoons (do a Google search for it)! Ah, the times of "Scooby-Doo", "Pound Puppies", "Thundercats", "Galtar", "Teddy Ruxpin"...**

**Allo: RogueFanKC...you're babbling again.**

**Sorry! Next is what you've been waiting for (especially Red Witch)! The next chapter on next Friday is "Enter the Misfits" and you won't believe what General Eddington (from Misfit-verse) and Major Cliffton (from the "Dinosaucers") want General Hawk and the Misfits to do! Read and review, criticism welcome and tell me what you think! Wait until next Friday! **


	3. Enter the Misfits

**Author's note: Again, I do not own the wonderful Misfit-verse displayed in this story! The universe of a crossover between "G.I. Joe" and "X-Men: Evolution" was created and is owned solely by fellow fan fiction author, Red Witch. For all those Dinosaucer fans who wish to be more familiar with her hilarious universe, her profile is in my "Favorite Authors" in my profile where she has authored over 400 stories about this plotline! For Red Witch and all Misfit fans, this story takes place after "The Misfit Island Adventure", but they managed to snag Lina Chakram (Dragonfly) as a new recruit. The X-Men and Misfits still haven't made peace with one another after Bobby Drake's disgusting behavior in "Tremors of the Past", so none of the X-Men know what the Misfits are doing. In short, Misfit-canon up until "The Misfit Island Adventure" and Lina's now in the act! Got it? Good!**

**CHAPTER 3: Enter the Misfits**

"Let me get this straight," General Hawk of G.I. Joe said in an even tone, trying to cover the bristling feeling of defensive annoyance spring into his voice, "You think you can simply order the Misfits to do a scouting party for you? Into some godforsaken area in the middle of a wide desert based on some crackpot theory?"

"Need I remind you that as long as Eddington backs me up on this, you really don't have much of a choice, Hawk," Major Cliffton smiled, almost sneering, "Besides, who else would be better to deal with these possible threats to national, if not worldly, security than your elite band of mutants? Eddington and I both feel that with the growing threat of Magneto and the Hellfire Club, it is only logical and reasonable to investigate these creatures and ensure that they do not turn out to be a menace to society. If they join up with Magneto, or God forbid, even Cobra or any other terrorist organization, the results would be catastrophic. It would be an additional hand that could one-up every single weapon and strategy and force we have countered to deal with such freaks."

"The Misfits aren't weapons, Cliffton," Hawk corrected the blond-haired, lanky general, almost close to snapping. Cliffton shrugged uncaringly.

"So you say, Hawk," he remarked with patronizing disdain before taking an 8 ½ by 11 inch manila envelope and tossed it graciously on Hawk's desk, "And contrary to your previous statements, what I have is _not_ some 'crackpot theory'."

Hawk just silently opened the envelope and looked at the documentation Major Cliffton provided. Upon seeing them, General Hawk raised an eyebrow in surprise, though throughout his time on being a general for the Pit, he had witnessed and heard things much more bizarre and worse off than this. Cliffton took Hawk's silence as agreement as he continued.

"As you can see, those...creatures could cause an immediate danger to innocent citizens and threaten homeland security. I mean, good Lord, one of those oversized dinosaurs could take out a robotic sentinel without much hardship, and judging from the data I have gathered, they have the technology to back themselves up for an army of sentinels!! And you know as well as I do that considering that none of them really have made much of an effort to establish a bond of goodwill with the U.S. government, the reptiles must have something to hide or are undoubtedly planning something...perhaps an attack or a hostile takeover."

"Funny, it appears to contradict the findings of how these dinosaurs have made friends with several of the residents that appear to live close by to the desert where they have been believed to be located in," Hawk stated flatly, "in fact, there has never been a case where these aliens have been found to injure or attack anyone except a splinter group of dinosaurs called the Tyrannos, and _that_ has been observed to be due to defense of the neighboring cities themselves. You even seem to have eyewitness testimonies of how the lizards have actually rescued several civilians during a siege by animated dinosaur skeletons, played football at a local stadium to challenge the Tyrannos, attended a middle school's science class, and..._is this a record of a court hearing between the two groups?? _"

Cliffton recounted a bit sheepishly, but still adamant, "Actually, that was due to the fact that the Tyrannos wanted to sue the Dinosaucers over damages and wished to impose a restraining order against them, but it was later discovered that the Tyrannos wished to prevent the other group from interfering with their plans to harvest the planet's resources, so the restraining order would prevent them from interfering and stopping the Tyrannos...but it should be of no consequence! The Dinosaucers were probably planning to achieve the same fate on our planet as well! They're invaders, interstellar parasites, and both Eddington and I feel that this needs to be dealt with..._immediately_."

General Hawk frowned; something about this didn't quite add up.

"The way I see it, there has been no direct evidence that these...'Dinosaucers' have posed any immediate danger nor have they generated any fear and panic by exposing themselves to the human population. Despite these sightings in the late-eighties, from what you've gathered, the terrestrial dinosaurs have pretty much kept to themselves, and it appears that a few years later afterwards, they virtually vanished without a trace. In fact, there has been no sighting of them after the early nineties, and despite what you claim, I can't say I particularly believe that these dinosaurs mean any harm to us nor have any plans to cause a great war over Earth's natural resources. So...why do you want the Misfits?"

It was then that Major Cliffton craftily smiled.

"Both Eddington and I felt that the Misfits would be a perfect convoy to extend a branch of invitation for these creatures to work with the government, perhaps form a discreet alliance with us. Hawk, think about it: if we had an association with these aliens, we could spy on their activities and have a much easier time observing their every move. After all, if we do not reach out to them, some other group like Cobra or another rogue government agency will. If they won't be for us, they'll be against us...and we can't afford that, especially not after the mutant crisis that is hitting the nation by storm. It's bad enough that groups such as Magneto's Acolytes and the Hellfire Club now exist, but to have them join with the Dinosaucers would be disastrous! Alien technology, a chance for potential new recruits and soldiers, an entire new road that could lead us to other civilizations and worlds and societies in space! Could you imagine how much we could gain, how much it could benefit us?!"

Ah, it becomes clear now.

"And if they refuse our offer of friendship..." Hawk muttered, close to growling.

"...then the Dinosaucers would find it difficult to fight against a group of trained mutants in the American army, and the problem shall be, shall we say, _dealt with_," Cliffton finished for him with a vulpine gleam. General Hawk wasn't thrilled with the idea.

"I'm not sure these aliens should be the ones termed as 'invaders', Cliffton."

"Irony notwithstanding, if anyone can find these dinosaurs, it is your group of Misfits. Just follow your orders from above, and no one has to face any unpleasantness. After all, we wouldn't wish to hinder the efforts from the Jugglers themselves, would we?"

The man certainly didn't miss much; Hawk almost wished Cliffton was stupid enough to make demands without the veiled threat.

General Hawk just glared at Cliffton's retreating back as he cockily strode out of Hawk's office.

---

"So what's our assignment?" Althea asked as she and the rest of the Misfits were gathered around the conference room with Hawk, Roadblock, Shipwreck, Cover Girl, Low Light, Spirit and the Blind Master. Hawk called them all in earlier, and for reasons unknown, requested that the handlers also be included in this mission. Despite his confidence in the Misfits (albeit the explosions and fighting and pranks), Hawk couldn't shake the feeling that the G.I. Joes might be needed as additional force. And his gut feeling was never wrong. This mission would require the utmost duty and concentration and orthodox planning. Unfortunately...

"Ow! Dad, Quinn just hit me!!"

"Only because you took my favorite seat in Hawk's office!!" snapped Quinn at Brittney.

"I had dibs, so _nyah_!!"

"Hey, I had double dibs, so move your fat butt!!"

"Make me!" snapped Brittney.

CRASH!

"Lance, you've been holding that picture of Kitty in your pocket for the past month! Will you please get over it?! You've got your pride on the line!!" Wanda pleaded, exasperated.

"Hey I can get rid of it anytime I want to...I just _don't_ want to!"

"That's it! Intervention time!!" snapped Todd as he, Xi, and Wanda tackled Lance, sending them all crashing to the floor.

THUD!

"OW! Will you get off me?! **GET OFF!!** Toad, if you even try it -!!"

BAM! SMASH!!

"There goes my chair...and my lamp..." groaned Hawk to himself.

"So...when's the wedding, Blobbo?" quipped Pietro as he wiggled his eyelashes suggestively towards Lina.

"Shut up, Pietro! And don't even think about it!" Fred grumbled.

"Not my fault if I'd be the more attractive choice to Lina. Man, and I thought _Summers_ was a slowpoke when it came to his love life! Hee hee hee – ACK!"

"Why you little -!!" Blob growled as he grabbed Pietro around the neck and started strangling him.

"Fred, stop that!" Lina snapped, defending Pietro.

...the Misfits were _anything_ but sane and orthodox.

It was a while after the incident with training on the island with, as much as General Hawk couldn't believe it, the giant monsters and animals and dragon villagers. The relationship between the X-Men and the Misfits were at an all-time low still from the blowout. Ever since Bobby Drake revealed Lance's past to the other X-Men, tension and mistrust from both sides ballooned, and after the fights and tearful arguments settled, Althea and her family decided that some time and space was needed greatly.

They were all there: Althea, Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Xi, Fred, even the Triplets, Daria, Quinn, and Brittney. Yet to the outside world, they were also known as: Wavedancer, Toad, Quicksilver, Avalanche, Scarlet Witch, Xi, the Blob, and Trinity. Altogether, they were the Misfits, a group of mutants trained and adopted by G.I. Joe and brought together as a family. Also with them was their newest recruit, Lina Chakram, also known as "Dragonfly". They luckily found her when her insect-like mutation just emerged fully once she cocooned herself, and upon seeing her, Mr. and Mrs. Chakram disowned Lina heartlessly, not wanting a freak for a daughter. So, she was adopted into the Misfits, and after much therapy and counseling, Lina grew adjusted to her role as a medic and soldier with the Misfits and G.I. Joe.

Once things got calmed down (and after several threats to take away the cable and the big-screen TV from the Misfit house for a year), Hawk gave a deep sigh before starting, "Your mission is to search throughout the desert located in central Montana to locate the base of a group of alien creatures and try to offer them amnesty with the United States military."

Hawk then turned off the lights to his office as a screen projector displayed the images of Cliffton's investigations on the far side of the wall. There were a few murmurs of surprise as they saw the candid photos of Allo, the Dinosaucers, and the Secret Scouts plainly visible on the smooth white paint.

"Whoa, freaky..." Todd commented.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black," sneered Pietro before he turned to General Hawk, "So, what are these aliens? They almost look like...dinosaurs."

"And who are those kids that seem to be with them?" Cover Girl added with her arms folded in front of her, her eyes a bit widened at the images she was registering.

Hawk explained, "These creatures call themselves 'the Dinosaucers', and from what an independent party had gathered, they are extraterrestrial life forms, and they came to Earth around seventeen years ago. And you're partly right about your observation, Pietro. They're basically anthropoid dinosaurs with cognitive thought, opposable thumbs, and the ability to communicate and walk upright like any other human. Cliffton thinks that they may have been the predecessors of the actual dinosaurs that arose in prehistoric times. From what we've been told, these aliens came from another planet called Reptilion and have settled here on Earth in the mid-eighties. Though the pictures are dated and obviously they have grown drastically, those children were the very first human beings that came into contact with the Dinosaucers and eventually, they befriended them. The three boys and one girl became 'the Secret Scouts', a sort of covert group to help the Dinosaucers assimilate and understand the culture of human beings. We have their identities as: Sarah Whitterson, Ryan Whitterson, Paul Dreggar, and David McLagan. They're now adults...but Cliffton was able to keep track of their moments, and currently, those kids have already graduated college and are coming back to their hometown for what appears to be an annual visit. This may point out that they're gathering to meet the dinosaur extraterrestrials again."

"And what have the Dinosaucers have done to warrant this mission? Are they planning something?" Low Light asked.

General Hawk sighed before he answered, "No...apparently, there never have been any reports of the Dinosaucers attacking any human civilians nor did they cause any destruction. On the contrary, there were even cases when the Dinosaucers have managed to integrate into society and even helped out with rescuing innocent people from destructive causes and events due to their mortal nemesis, the Tyrannos."

Hawk switched to the next slide to display the Tyrannos, a group of red-skinned, ferocious dinosaur humanoids led by a tall, strapping evil-looking Tyrannosaurus Rex. All of them were wearing metallic armor of yellow, ochre, and gray.

"Wait, I'm confused," confessed Fred, and Pietro was heard snickering.

"So what else is new, Blob?" Fred chose to ignore the comment, especially since he heard Lance and Xi give Pietro a good smack on the head for that remark. Fred continued slowly.

"So...we have two groups of dinosaurs here on Earth? One is the Dinosaucers and the other is...these 'Tyrannos'? So, which one are the bad guys??"

"The Tyrannos, apparently," answered Hawk gravely, "but the problem is, even though they may be a possible threat in the future, Eddington wants us to search and find the base of the Dinosaucers themselves. Major Cliffton was able to narrow down the search of the aliens' base to this wide strip of desert here. The coordinates have already been uploaded to the Mass Device for teleportation as soon as you are all prepared and ready"

Hawk then displayed a close-up map of the desert within the very center of the mountain range.

"Ready? Ready for what?? To do battle? But, I thought you said that these Dinosaucers have helped the human race before, and if they have made acquaintances with several humans, then it cannot mean they have possibly planned any malicious intent for the Earth. So, why are we hunting them and not the Tyrannos??" asked Xi, the lizard-like, genetically-engineered mutant whose yellow eyes were scrutinizing the general in front of him.

"That was one of the things I've had a major quibble over, Xi. Personally, I see no reason to send you Misfits out on a mission to find the Dinosaucers. However, as much as I would like too, I can't tell Eddington to take his head out of his butt; he and Cliffton are too thoroughly blindsided. They both think that because of the lack of sightings of the Dinosaucers indicate that they must be planning something huge, perhaps a doomsday device or a plot to wipe out the human race or, by Cliffton's standards, a further idea to harvest the natural resources and minerals of Earth to selfishly be used as wealth back at their own planet. In short, because of the lack of exposure, the Jugglers want you to investigate and offer an alliance with the United States military. Since the Dinosaucers are good beings, the Jugglers anticipate that they would do the noble thing and accept an alliance willingly. Apparently, a bond formed with this race may prove beneficial to the Jugglers, and if they chose a side, the Dinosaucers may be safer with us rather than Magneto or Cobra. However, with Eddington and the Jugglers, I wouldn't put a lot of faith in that statement."

Althea then stood up furiously, her eyes indignant. Hawk didn't need to state that she already guessed what Eddington wanted them for; after all, she wasn't the resourceful, brave, and strategic leader of the Misfits for nothing.

"This mission is a load of crap, and you know it, General!" she snapped, "Eddington's really using us to wipe out the Dinosaucers and their friends if they refuse to form a relationship with the military!! That creep's just using the notion of the aliens being a possible danger as an excuse for the fact that he can't stand it if a possible branch of resources and power for him and the Jugglers went unused!"

"He can't do that!" gasped Wanda.

"He can, and he will, Scarlet Witch," Roadblock stated grimly, narrowing his eyes, "If Eddington can't use them, he'll kill them all without a hitch."

"In other words, if he can't have them, no one else will," the Blind Master frowned.

"Then why should we do this?! Tell Eddington and Cliffton to go kiss the President's ass cause there's no way in hell we're going to execute and commit genocide on this race and be his lapdogs!!" Lance retorted angrily.

Hawk sighed as he gravely answered, "Lance, don't think that I _didn't_ think of that, but then guess what will happen? Eddington can use this slight insubordination as a further weakening point to hold over our heads as a threat to disband the G.I. Joe team and the Misfits if he chooses to show to the Jugglers how incompetent you are with G.I. Joe."

"How nice of him," Wanda sarcastically growled.

"But also look at this way: if we don't do it, Eddington, the Jugglers, and Cliffton will find another group who _will_...and that won't be any better of an alternative. And I wouldn't be surprised if somehow Cobra or the Dreadnoks got wind of this if we refused Cliffton's request. I sure as hell don't trust Eddington to keep his mouth shut. And if that happens, Cobra may be able to truly manipulate the Dinosaucers against us and other people, and then we'd be in a worse off situation. At least this way, we won't follow the orders _entirely_."

"I get it," grinned Spirit, the Native American G.I. Joe solider who was also Lance's adoptive father.

"I don't!" huffed Shipwreck, Althea's bearded, sailor father.

"Me neither," confessed Fred, scratching the back of his head.

"Do we have to explain everything, Dad?" groaned Althea as she held her forehead in one hand, feeling another headache coming on.

"Apparently," commented Daria as she rolled her eyes.

"If _we_ go, we can make sure that Eddington and Cliffton don't get their paws on the Dinosaucers. We can make friends with them, maybe warn them about what's coming, and we can make sure we help them remain hidden from government surveillance. We can offer them a chance for amnesty from _all_ organizations, including the ones related to Eddington, Cobra, and Magneto," Spirit explained.

"Huh?" Fred asked.

"I think he's saying if we do it, it'll help protect the Dinosaucers and we can lie to Eddington and Cliffton. Just because they may be hesitant to trust the army doesn't mean they may be hesitant to trust a band of mutants since we have our own secrets to hide," Lina explained patiently. Out of all the Misfits, Lina cared for Fred the most...but unfortunately for Fred and Lina, they were both too shy to admit their feelings to each other. A fact that their teammates and parents teased them about relentlessly.

"It would be better coming from us," mused Cover Girl, "at least we'd be honest with them."

"And it _would_ be more believable and be easier for them to relate to us," Lance said thoughtfully.

"And we'll have new playmates! And maybe we can steal, er, _borrow_ some of their technology for our inventions!" chirped Daria excitedly as she, Brittney, and Quinn all had starry-filled eyes of all the gadgets they could invent. Althea, seeing the potential danger, snapped angrily at her seven-year old triplet sisters.

"Oh no, you don't! We already finished rebuilding the basement after your 'portable ocean' invention, we haven't replaced the hole in the roof after the 'rocket engine' fiasco, every electronic device in the house hasn't been the same ever since your 'cold-fusion' mess, you _still _need to replace the windows after your lava-gun exploded, we just got rid of all the dynamite from your closets _and_ the secret compartment under the floorboards...!!"

"I told you we should have hidden it better!" hissed Brittney to Daria and Quinn.

"Oh be quiet," Daria grumbled. Althea continued, ticking the events off with her fingers.

"...and we _just_ finished the lawsuit with NASA after your 'propulsion Care-Bear soldier' ideas! And stop laughing! The NASA board didn't find it funny after they found a Grumpy-Bear doll rammed into one of their satellites and when the Lionheart-Bear doll used its bazooka to destroy the Hubble telescope!! If you think we're going to let you three get your hands on that technology and cause even _more_ damage, you're all nuts!!"

Trinity pouted in unison. Lina then asked hesitantly to Hawk, "But General Hawk...what do we do if the Dinosaucers won't accept us, and they view us as their enemies?"

Hawk sighed as he looked at the final photograph of the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts standing side by side, all blissfully smiling in contentment, as a family. He was vexed about the same thing.

"We'll worry about that bridge when we come to it, Lina."

**All right! Another chapter down! The next chapter is going to delve into the Dinosaucers' lives, and not only are the old Dinosaucers gonna be introduced, but we meet some new recruits I created just for this universe!**

**Shipwreck: I wonder if the Dinosaucers know what alcohol is?**

**Cover Girl: Well, if the title of the next chapter, "Never Piss Off A Drunk Dinosaucer", is any clue...**

**Spirit, Shipwreck, Low Light, and Roadblock: Woo-hoo! We'll get the glasses!**

**Misfits (groaning): WE'LL get the sobriety pills...**

**General Hawk (groaning): I'LL get the aspirin...**


	4. Never Piss Off A Drunk Dinosaucer

**Author's note: I wish to thank Metalomaniac, Red Witch, L1701E, pauloj1983, and Sparky Genocide for the kind reviews! Also, I found out something interesting! The person, Len Carlson, who did the voice work of Allo in "Dinosaucers" was ALSO the voice of Senator Kelly in the 90's "X-Men" cartoon! What a weird coincidence!**

**Allo (groans): Thanks a lot, RogueFanKC! Now I'm going to be even more humiliated when people start comparing me to that bigoted twit!**

**Justin: Well, to be fair, you DO sound like him, Dad...**

**Allo: I DO NOT SOUND ANYTHING LIKE SENATOR KELLY!!!**

**Oh be quiet and let's meet the entire Dinosaucer team!**

**CHAPTER 4: Never Piss Off A Drunk Dinosaucer**

"Happy egg day, Justin!!" chorused Stego and Bonehead in perfect, and slightly annoying, harmony as Justin, slightly groggy and disoriented from his 6:30 A.M. wake-up call, emerged from his bedroom, still clad in his pajama shirt and shorts. His short, brown hair was already tussled and messily spiked from his pillow, and his hazel eyes had slight bags of restlessness, yet Justin still managed to graciously look surprised...and gratefully appreciative.

"Thanks, you guys," Justin murmured as Stego knelt down and gleefully gave him an immense, if not a little painful, hug of excitement. Stego was a gigantic stegosaurus, but like Allo and the rest of the Dinosaucers, he was perfectly anthropomorphic in the sense of being able to speak, stand upright, having opposable thumbs, and humanistic body proportions, especially in his arms and legs. Stego has light grayish green skin which contrasted the metallic gray and midnight blue sleeveless suit he was wearing. The pointed scales on his back were flaky slates of dead bone, matching the exact color of the set of six thorny spikes on his tail. However, contrary to his intimidating exterior, Stego was, in all senses of the word, a loveable, naive idiot. Though he was a Dinosaucer, Stego most likely fit the role of the comedy relief in this group. Yet Justin wouldn't have his friend any other way for Stego was also had a cheery, kind interior which was very lighthearted, despite his tendency to goof up missions and be completely oblivious to what was going on around him.

Bonehead just happily clapped his hands as he jumped up and down, cheering excitedly. Bonehead was a light-brown pachycephalosaurus, the infamous dinosaur with a large, oversized, spiked cranium and thick skull perfect for head-butts. He was also Allo's nephew, and he was almost as naïve and senseless as Stego, but Bonehead also possessed a pure stubborn and loyal streak that was hard to break, an endless, exuberant spirit. Even though a decade of being on Earth did mature and harden Bonehead's demeanor somewhat, he was always like a child at heart.

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" laughed Bonehead in anticipation, "It's your bestest egg-day yet, Justin!! It's number sixteen! We should make this one special!!"

The words did threaten to bring a cold feeling of dread to Justin, but he just shook it off desperately as Bonehead gave Justin a huge, crushing bear-hug as well.

Stego looked confused as he said innocently, "But...but I thought we were doing something special!! What about the secret party we were planning later today?"

Bonehead irked, his eyes widening in alarm.

"STEGO!! You ruined the surprise!!" he exclaimed to Stego. Stego blushed in a brilliant crimson color that clashed with his skin tone as he looked down on the floor and twiddled his legs together bashfully. Justin had to fight not to laugh at the sight.

Justin turned to Bonehead, explaining, "It's all right, Bonehead...I already knew about birthday surprise party because Montacera told me about it two nights ago while I was doing my homework in the study."

Stego groaned, "I _knew_ we should have paid her more! That dino-girl does not know when to keep her beak quiet!"

Justin had to smirk with smugness as he clarified, "Actually, even if you did pay her what she wanted, she still would have told me. She wanted to get back at you two for breaking her TV set when you crashed into her room."

"_That_ was an accident!" whined Stego.

"Playing touch-tag football in the hallways after Allo and Dimetro told you two ten billion times to not roughhouse _inside_ the Lavadome isn't considered an accident," Justin smirked, "And Montacera was more mad at the fact that you happened to break her set when she was taping VH1's 'Pop-Star Boy-Band Jamboree'."

"Please, we did her a favor," sniffed Bonehead at the memory, "not to mention everyone else who was close to losing their sanity after listening to her play that junk that she passes off as music for that past month. She should have shown us mercy for sparing her from that tasteless garbage."

"She _did_ show you guys mercy, remember? She only _threatened_ to shove the remains of the coffee table down your throats when she tried to smash it on your heads; she didn't actually do it."

Stego chuckled as he recalled fondly, "That was only because she found out that the fire extinguisher would be more painful to shove down our throats than a crummy wooden table leg."

At the memory, all three of them guffawed loudly and Stego actually fell on his side, chortling, his legs flailing up and down wildly while hooting with glee, the floor slightly resonating from the weight. Which happened to cause a neighboring dinosaur to gripe in agonizing fury from his room.

"Will you two lumbering imbeciles cease jumping up and down in the damn hallway?!!" roared a gruff and gratingly scratchy voice as a black velociraptor's head stuck out irately from his bedroom doorframe, snarling with venom, "I swear, by the gods of Reptilion, if I did not have this blasted pain in my skull, I'd slowly eviscerate the _both_ of you before stuffing your entrails down your whiny throats since it appears to be the _only_ way to have you two half-wits be quiet!!!"

"We love you too, Raptor," drawled Bonehead guilelessly, "And just for your information, the pain is called a 'hangover'. It's what you get when you drink too much to access."

Stego then added, "You can't blame us; we told you that you couldn't win that bet against Compy on who could chug more tequila shooters in one hour last night."

"Oh shut up, you insufferable baboon!" snapped Raptor before wincing and holding his throbbing head with one claw. Apparently, all the yelling and screaming was adding on to the migraine, each word like a hundred bars of lead pounding against his brain tissue. Stego and Bonehead then grinned at each other.

Stego chirped annoyingly in a baby's voice, "Would the widdle 'Waptor wike a hug?"

Bonehead then joined in. He drawled, "Would the widdle 'Waptor wike a gweat big kiss??"

"Would the widdle 'Waptor wike a wullaby??"

"What I would _really_ like right now would involve a crowbar, duct tape, several sticks of dynamite, and your backsides!! But since it's apparent I can't have everything I want, I'll just settle for you two to be out of this hallway by the time I get back in bed and die in peace..." muttered Raptor murderously as his door slammed shut.

Stego then impishly snickered to Bonehead, "Perhaps then a little music would help our Mr. Sunshine..."

Bonehead then announced loudly enough for Raptor to hear, "Good idea, Stego! I'll turn on the Lavadome's base speakers then...does Compy still have that Metallica CD?"

There was a short pounding of feet that indicated even with the hangover, Raptor was still quick enough to dash back out to protest to the suggestion of torture.

"**_If you two idiots even put one claw into the control room...!!_**" screamed Raptor as he now ran out of room, panting heavily, looking ready to kill as he advanced towards the stegosaurus and pachycephalosaurus with wild eyes and a frothing mouth. Stego then playfully held Justin in front of him as a shield.

"You wouldn't kill me in front of Justin, would you, Raptor?" he mock-begged, "Not on Justin's egg day?? Not even an ex-Tyrannos would be that cruel and heartless!"

"Don't tempt me, you corpulent, blubbering tub of -!" Raptor let the insult hang as he continued to stomp towards Stego and Bonehead, consequences and maintenance duties be damned.

Feeling sorry for Raptor, Justin then supplicated gently to Stego and Bonehead, albeit smiling, "Hey, come on, you guys, that's enough. Raptor won't kill you if you just let him go back to bed and let him sleep the hangover off. And c'mon Raptor, can't you just let them off the hook for once? _Please_? They were just joking. And besides, don't you remember Allo telling you that you'd be on permanent monitor duty if you sent Bonehead or Compy to the infirmary one more time?"

"It'll be worth it if I can stick their brainless heads on metal stakes outside the Lavadome!" rumbled Raptor as he continued eying the two Dinosaucers beadily. Yet, Raptor could never refuse the human orphan; out of all the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts, Justin was the only one who could soften him. Back at Reptilion ten years ago, Raptor used to be a field commander for the Tyrannos, a ruthless group of dinosaur-warmongers that ravaged Reptilion with wars and were the ones behind the rampant destruction of the planet. In fact, the Tyrannos were the leading forces behind the destruction that killed many of the Dinosaucers' friends, families, and allies...including Allo's wife and daughter. Yet despite his loyal services, when the time came to escape their ruined home planet, Raptor was brutally beaten and left behind mercilessly by Genghis Rex, the leader of the Tyrannos. Allo and the rest of the Dinosaucers came across Raptor's ravaged body and took him back to the Lavadome to heal, despite protests from Tricero, Bronto-Thunder, Itchy, and Compy about showing grace to a Tyrannos mercenary. Even afterwards, Raptor realized he really had no place to return to, no place to call home, and despite argument, Allo offered Raptor a tentative place amongst the Dinosaucers. Raptor obviously didn't accept the offer at first, but considering how damaged his body was from his injuries, he was allowed to recuperate back on headquarters as a prolonged guest and wander around aimlessly. Several of the Dinosaucers, especially Bronto-Thunder, Itchy, and Compy didn't trust the velociraptor and voiced their opinions repeatedly about how he was a hopeless case, how he should have been left behind to die along with the other scum, and how to show blessings on a Tyrannos soldier when so many innocent dinosaurs perished on the Great Reptilion Wars was adding insult to injury. Compy and Itchy would also do everything they could to make Raptor's stay a living hell, ranging anywhere from pranks to open snipes and disdain. Raptor naturally lashed back, but then it would always end up with him being looked upon as a troublemaker and with the ex-Tyrannos soldier being further lowered from everyone's patience, including Allo's. Even the Secret Scouts were wary of Raptor...yet Justin was the only one who didn't follow suit. He remembered how many times the brown-haired kid, as a young child, naively visited the black lizard in the infirmary as company and joined the moody warrior on his long walks under the night sky, despite the Tyrannos' protest for the annoying child to leave him alone. Yet regardless of his red eyes, his black skin, and his lethal smile, nothing could scare Justin away from Raptor. There was even an incident when Raptor was sulkily resting his broken femur in the Lavadome infirmary, he woke up from his stupor to find the six-year old Justin snuggling against him like a teddy bear, covering him with an extra blanket the child managed to scour up from the supply closet. Allo knew of this, but he didn't object because he knew Justin wouldn't associate himself with someone who wished to cause him pain; he trusted his son's judgment, though not with a bit of wariness. And as much as Raptor hated to admit it, it was nice having Justin continually trying to be affectionate towards him. Throughout the Tyrannos' life, he never felt such emotion. It felt like he belonged, like he had a family. And it was a pleasant feeling. Once he was fully healed, Raptor begrudgingly joined the Dinosaucers, much to the wails of agonized protest to Compy and Itchy and Bronto-Thunder. Raptor himself had to admit it was certainly worth it seeing the looks of horror etched on their faces when Allo made the declaration, a pure sight to remember.

Raptor just growled at Justin before turning to Stego and Bonehead.

"You two have until the count of ten to get out of my sight before I hunt you down and pound you imbeciles into the next ice age! One, two, three...!"

Stego and Bonehead dashed off out of the hallway, hooting, and sighing, Justin followed them into the kitchen after he gave Raptor a slight smile. Raptor just huffed and stomped back into his room before slamming the door again.

In the kitchen, Montacera, Compy, and Struthio, and Plateo were already busy with breakfast.

"Dare I ask why Stego and Bonehead just passed by in a hurry?" Montacera asked, deadpanned, as she was taking crisp toast out of a conventional oven nearby.

"Raptor isn't a morning person," Justin shrugged lightly, bringing a murmur of understanding from the female montaceratops as she took out bowls and plates for Plateo to serve breakfast in.

Plateo was a dark-green, bespectacled plateosaurus with bright, orange stripes running vertically across his back, powerful, large hind legs and mammoth tail, and there was a splash of yellow ochre scales underneath his chin as it traveled across his underbelly which contrasted against the grey jumpsuit he was wearing. The Dinosaucer had a small flat head on a relatively long, curvy neck along with powerful clawed hands, yet surprisingly, Plateo was a sage and pacifistic herbivore, so philosophical and scholarly at times, he earned the nickname "Plato" by Sarah and Ryan. In time, all the Dinosaucers caught on to the alias. In a way, Plateo was a Dinosaucer version of Frasier Crane. Right now, Justin found it quite comical to see Plateo struggling to clear his foggy glasses from the steam of the cooking stove as he tended to a large pot of oatmeal with a pan of frying eggs alongside. Out of all the duties of the Lavadome, Plateo absolutely _hated _cooking. As he voiced so many times in the past, he was a bookworm and a librarian, not a mess hall chef. And right now, due to his frustrations, Plateo was very close to losing his temper and breaking his façade of sophistication as he cursed under his breath when he dropped the ladle of oatmeal on his foot for what appeared to be the umpteenth time. Hearing the stifling chuckle, Plateo gave Justin a deadpanned glare of annoyance.

"Would be so kind as to help me tend to the breakfast rather than standing there and laughing at my misfortune of being on the cooking roster for this week, you little ruffian?" he managed to hiss in an aloof yet silky voice through his teeth as he accidentally burned his hand on the pot.

"Aw, c'mon, Plato!" drawled Compy in a sleazy, rat-like voice, laughing, "Loosen up and get that stick out of your ass! It's Justin's egg day! He's got better things to do than remedial duties and be everyone's butler for today! After all, that's _your_ job!"

Compy was a neon-red skinned compsognathus dinosaur, with black stripes across his back and small head, sharp petite hands and claws and a beige underbelly littered with scars from his rough times on the wars of Reptilion. Compsognathi were small scavengers, and up to his full, upright position, Compy was only three-quarters as tall as Justin. However, his diminutive size was easily made up for Compy's speed and quick resourceful thinking; he was easily one of the fastest Dinosaucers on the team, with his light body weight and ability to crawl through even the tightest spaces a normal Dinosaucers could never get through. However, it didn't comply with his ego or mouth. Compy could also easily agitate anyone with his crude comments and his ability to say things without any respect or thought. It wasn't that he was insensitive; it was just that he simply spoke what was on his mind. Compy also used to be a trade scout for various items and barters back on Reptilion, so it also helped him develop an edge for dealing, negotiation, and a stubborn streak for money-grubbing, gambling and shady deals. Yet, despite his various flaws, Compy was like an uncle...a loud-mouthed, annoying, double-dealing, irritating, drunk uncle of course.

Plateo fought to keep his temper under control as he snapped at Compy.

"Maybe instead of worrying about the proverbial stick up _my_ posterior, you should be worrying about the _actual_ frying pan that is going to be shoved up **_yours_** if you don't cease your incessant banter!! And perhaps you would receive your bounty of food with much more care and haste if you would even bother to help me!! Justin may have his valid excuse, but I sincerely doubt _your _excuse of being a complete sloth and parasite is just as sound!!"

"Hey, I'd love to help you, but I'm still recovering from all those shooters I chugged down last night," Compy drawled as he leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head, yawning ostentatiously, "Besides, Raptor was supposed to be the one who was gonna share the cooking duties with you and Montacera, so blame him! Of course, I'd always known you couldn't depend a lousy, back-stabbing Tyrannos for anything."

Justin gave Compy a roll of his eyes as he helped Plateo tend to the scrambled eggs and placed them into a huge serving plate, commenting, "Compy, you know better than that. And Raptor's sick because he's got a hangover from the bet you made with him last night. In fact, Raptor's suffering in bed right now and pretty close to ripping someone's head off if anyone bothers him."

Compy just simply scoffed, "Pfft! Serves him right for getting drunk, that cheap Tyrannos-bastard. The welsher still owes me fifty bucks for losing the bet last night."

"_Ex_-Tyrannos, Compy," Struthio rectified with ease as he sipped his coffee, "and if I recall correctly, who was the one who dared Raptor into accepting the bet in the first place? As in, who was the one who kept making clucking noises like a chicken and kept goading Raptor by calling him 'a yellow-scaled, pansied coward'? And, as in, who was nearly mauled and nearly had his face shoved into the sink while the garbage disposal was running by Raptor when he threatened said Dinosaucer for not keeping his mouth shut? When it comes down to it, you were the one who was partly responsible for Raptor's suffering this morning."

"Details, details..." waved Compy dismissively as Justin, with some help from Plateo, brought over the mountain of eggs, "but now that I think about it, I think this gives me the perfect opportunity to say 'good morning' to our little sourpuss."

Montacera warned as she finished taking the last of the loaf of brown toast from the oven, "Don't make things worse, Compy. Raptor hates you enough as it is."

The small compsognathus just merely said with mock surprise and hurt pride, though everyone noticed the gleam of wicked maliciousness in his beady, yellow eyes, "_Moi_? Make things worse for our Tyrannos?? Of course not! I just wanna go over there and see what I can do to help the lumbering dirtball."

As Compy left, Justin sighed to no one in particular, "I'll go ready Dimetro in the infirmary again for a 'heads up'. You'd think after the first few hundred times, Compy'd learn his lesson."

"Knowing him, he probably planned this," Struthio smiled warmly with jest as he started ravenously attacking his helping of toast and eggs he took from the center of the table while Plateo finally then arrived with the bubbling pot of oatmeal. Struthio was a lanky struthiomimus dinosaur, his tan-gray skin littered with pebbles of brown on his back and ostrich-like body complete with slender long legs, neck, and arms, covered with lean muscle. Not surprisingly, Struthio was an incredibly fast runner and at times, he could run faster than a cheetah if need be necessary, and it was that talent that made him a field outrider in the Dinosaucer team. However, Struthio was one of the younger members of the Dinosaucers, and in retrospect to some of the veterans such as Allo or even Bonehead, Struthio was a minor, a teenager just shy of being a young adult. Right now, Struthio was dressed surprisingly in a semi-buttoned white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and tan slacks, not exactly one wears for casual comfort in one's own home. Yet as Sarah mentioned multiple times, Struthio could have been dressed in a garbage bag and _still_ look like a model that would have hundreds of female fans adoring him. Yet despite his young age, the struthiomimus was very mature and easy-going; he was like a caring older brother who kept everyone's interests to heart and had patience and tenderness for everyone despite disagreement. At the very least, he was an effective peacemaker. Of course, like most people, Struthio was blind when it came to his own needs and matters, especially when one of them happened to be Montacera who coincidentally was looking infatuatedly at Struthio during breakfast.

Montacera was a light orange-ochre montanoceratops, a dinosaur similar to the Triceratops except that she was much smaller, had no horns, a small tail and only a small bone frill shielding her neck. She was taller than Justin and Compy, though only by a matter of inches, and her eyes were green which contrasted against her light-beige skin. Montacera was the niece of the main Triceratops police chief, Commissioner Stonebone, back at Reptilion, and Tricero brought her to Earth for her safety once the wars started. Tricero was a black and brown, gruff yet sage evolved-Triceratops who used to work as a police officer back at Reptilion before he became a veteran Dinosaucer, and Commander Stonebone used to be his boss. Though he mostly kept to himself and most of his past life remained a mystery, Tricero was fiercely loyal and determined. However, why he adopted Montacera wasn't entirely clear. Whenever Justin asked the triceratops Dinosaucer what happened between him and Stonebone back at Reptilion, Tricero would always make some comment about "people being too nosy for their own good" and just say that he was discharged unfairly. It was clear though that Tricero had some bitter resentment towards Stonebone. However when Stonebone was fatally wounded in the heat of the fighting in the Great Reptilion Wars eleven years ago, as a last request, he begged Tricero to take in Montacera and keep her safe. Though Tricero and Stonebone often clashed heads and couldn't honestly be regarded as on "friendly terms", Tricero kept his promise (for reasons unknown) to Stonebone and brought up Montacera as best as he could. She, like Struthio, was regarded as a minor; both were much younger and inexperienced compared to Bonehead. Yet, Montacera was a true teenager. She was a wild tomboy, a sure spitfire. She could give Raptor a run for his temper and moody personality when angered, but she was also bubbly, cheerful and sometimes a bit self-centered, especially when it came to matters of shopping and materialistic things. However, Montacera also knew when things were serious enough to be there for her family, but considering she was in her rebellious teenage years, she and Tricero constantly fought and argued, with Tricero trying to be stern and protective and Montacera being the more frustrated at being treated like a child. And as a result of the conflicting personalities, both of them fought tooth and nail over matters. One of these matters was Struthio.

Like most teenage girls, an enamored Montacera became foolish enough to tell Struthio about how she felt about him, and like most teenage boys, Struthio let her down gently, insightfully letting the montanoceratops know that he didn't see her that way and to him, she'll always be like a sister. Montacera was crushed, but she didn't let that stop her from constantly fawning over Struthio and hoping that over time, his feelings would change. Tricero, upon finding out, was not supportive of the idea and got over into a heated argument with Montacera about her being too young to express such an interest in a boy. Taking this the wrong way, the adolescent argued back on how it was her life, her choice, and that Tricero had no right to say anything considering he wasn't even her father.

Even though that happened several months ago, neither she nor Tricero were the same towards each other again.

Right now, Montacera was so busy observing Struthio, she wasn't paying attention to the fact that she was spooning her oatmeal into her scrambled eggs. Struthio remained oblivious to her as he slurped down some more coffee, but then he noticed that other Dinosaucers were now entering the kitchen, ready for breakfast. Tricero, Bronto-Thunder, Teryx, all dressed in gray, cotton jumpsuits from their morning workout, came in first followed by Itchy who was humorously limping his way into the kitchen like a half-dead zombie, wincing with every step he took.

"Hey you guys!" Struthio called out warmly, "How was training?"

"Ugh," Itchy complained, moaning, as he heavily landed in his seat and slumped his head tiredly on the cool surface of the table, "Remind me to _never_ weight-lift with Tricero and Bronto-Thunder again! I don't know if my body'll ever stop hating me for it!!"

"Well, you _were_ the one who admitted that he was getting a little tubby and needed to gain back some muscle..." pointed out Teryx as she served herself some oatmeal.

"At this rate, I don't even need to bother! I don't think I even _have_ any muscle left that wasn't injured from today's torture!" whined the ichthyosaurus as Teryx brought over a glass of ice-water for her boyfriend.

Bronto-Thunder just laughed heartily as he thumped Itchy painfully on the back with one hand, guffawing. He was a bulky, tall brontosaurus, with skin the color of pale puce and black-colored eyes. He was the heaviest of all the Dinosaucers, but he was arguably considered to be one of the strongest as well. Strength was a main source of the Dinosaucer's pride. He could turn mountains into rubble without much trouble, and he towered over everyone, including Allo, significantly. Bronto-Thunder was a bit dense at times, especially when trying to learn Earthling culture, but he was very headstrong and brash; whenever there were times fighting needed to be done, Bronto-Thunder provided the pure muscle. Unfortunately, he was quick to judge and fight yet slow to think and plan. Bronto-Thunder wasn't much of a leader, but he was a dedicated follower. And Allo and the other Dinosaucers appreciated that. Well, almost.

He said, "Aw, c'mon Itchy! Your body will adjust, and you'll see you'll lose that fat in no time! Besides, you wouldn't want Teryx to have a lazy, pudgy fiancée, now would you? And lifting weights is the best way to tone down that body! You should be thanking us!"

Itchy looked as if he would rather give Bronto-Thunder a fat lip instead of a "thank you".

"Either that or you can stop pigging out on junk food like you usually do and start eating healthy for once," chuckled Tricero to the underwater dinosaur between bites of toast.

"Pfft! As if, Tricero. Itchy's idea of the four basic food groups are caffeine, salt, grease and sugar," chortled Bronto-Thunder into his coffee as he chugged it in one go, which was an accomplishment considering his coffee mug was about the size of a barrel.

"If I could even move right now, I'd kill the both of you," growled Itchy with his face still resting down on the table, so he couldn't see Teryx as she poured the entire contents of the glass onto Itchy's head, the artic liquid dousing his warm skin and scales. Itchy yelped in surprise as he stumbled out of his seat, jolting the table, but luckily not spilling any of the breakfast banquet. Itchy, now slightly shivering since being a dinosaur meant one was cold-blooded snapped at Teryx.

"What the hell did you do _that_ for?!!"

"You needed to cool off, and besides, didn't you just say you couldn't move?" smiled the female archaeopteryx slyly as the rest of the observing Dinosaucers twittered. Justin just bit his tongue as he brought a dishcloth for Itchy to dry his head while Teryx served another bowl of oatmeal.

Itchy was a light-gray ichthyosaurus, but surprisingly, he was the only member of the Dinosaucers who was not a true dinosaur but an evolved species similar to the mammalian dolphin on Earth. Itchy has pincer claws similar to a crab's claw for hands rather than the normal reptilian appendage and had webbed feet along with a dolphin's tail. However, unlike the rest of the Dinosaucers, Itchy was an adept swimmer and could stay underwater for long periods of time, and surprisingly, he could also communicate with any undersea creature or fish. Itchy was a bit of a wisecracker, quick-thinking and talkative to a fault, but unlike Compy, Itchy was more of a witty comedian. And recently, he proposed to Teryx who had feelings for the ichthyosaurus for quite a while, and once asked, Teryx joyfully accepted. Now, both he and Teryx were engaged, and neither of them could be any happier. Of course, they were still several times Teryx needed to keep Itchy in line like most patient girlfriends.

"Oatmeal?! _That's_ my breakfast?!! C'mon, Teryx!! Lemme crack open a case of bacon and make some pancakes instead!!" moaned Itchy.

"Itchy, fair warning: Bronto-Thunder and Tricero will increase your workout regimen if you even _try_ to cheat on your diet..._and_ it will be hard for you to recuperate your sore muscles when you're going to be sleeping in the den if you keep complaining." Teryx smiled evilly.

Ever since their engagement, it wasn't much of a surprise to anyone when Teryx and Itchy decided to share a bedroom as well.

"You wouldn't!" whined an outraged Itchy.

"The sofa's going to be awfully cold for the next six months, buster."

"Looks like she's got the upper hand on you once again, Itchy," remarked Tricero gleefully.

Itchy groaned again as he sulkily ate.

Teryx was an archaeopteryx, the only reptile known to mankind to have wings, feathers, _and_ the ability to fly. She was a tall, slim yet attractive pink-skinned reptile with tufts of white feathers surrounding her collarbone and atop of her head like a Mohawk while her wings were various shades of brown and blue outlined with white. Teryx was the Dinosaucers' bio officer, and her knowledge of science almost rivaled that of Dimetro, but she was also quite erudite in literature, history, and art. Not only was she one of Justin's tutors but she also took role as a nurse in the medical ward, assisting Dimetro whenever there were medical emergencies. Being one of the few female residents on the team was a bit stressful, but Teryx was mature enough to handle it, and she didn't take any guff or nonsense from anyone, not even from Itchy. However, as she confessed secretly to Sarah, she fell in love with all aspects of the ichthyosaurus, loud-mouth and all. Patient, gentle, yet having a take-charge demeanor...it was hardly a wonder Itchy was smitten with Teryx.

Now the rest of the Dinosaucers which consisted of Allo and Dimetro joined in for the meal, and eventually there was nothing but general conversation mixed with the scraping noises of chairs and clinks of dishes and forks. However, with a slight nudge from Montacera, Justin was able to notice that all the Dinosaucers were glancing at him and giving each other secretive, knowing looks. He wasn't a fool, but he decided to play along as being ignorant.

"So...what's my lesson plan for today, Dimetro?" he asked to the dimetrodon Dinosaucer. Dimetro was tech officer of the team and was also Justin's main tutor, teaching the human child multiple subjects of math and computers ever since Justin arrived to the Lavadome. Dimetro was large, bulky and one could always notice the dark webbed-frill running alongside his back and tail like a huge oversized fan. What was most noticeable about the Dinosaucer, however, was the blue cowl he always wore like a mask over his head, leaving room for his brown eyes and mouth to poke out. Dimetro was always the inquisitive and curious scientist in the group, and despite the number of failures and dangers and explosions he endured (and they've had many), Dimetro was always willing to see any and every mechanism, every formula, every machine and analyze it thoroughly in order to understand its inner workings. However, it didn't mean he wasn't graceful and careful when he was concentrating; Dimetro himself put together many of the gadgets and mechanisms of the Lavadome base itself, ranging from the defensive controls to the computers to the basic kitchen appliances and none have backfired yet. Thankfully. Yet, Dimetro was also fun-loving, loveable, and very patient and soft-spoken. That was one of the reasons why he made an excellent teacher to Justin and took it upon himself to school the child. Dimetro then had a calculating look in his eye as he warmly smiled.

"I decided to give you the day off from your studies and let Struthio and Montacera take you on an expedition to observe the local flora and fauna of the desert as a field trip. However," and with this, Dimetro gave Justin a stern look, "I would recommend that you immediately start reviewing your past math notes from last week considering I just finished grading your trigonometry test..."

Justin winced; math was never his strong subject.

"How bad is it?" he asked timidly.

"Let me put it this way...even Stego and Bonehead could answer the questions better than you could."

"Did you have to be so brutal?" whined Justin as the rest of the Dinosaucers eavesdropping chuckled. Dimetro just grinned as he ruffled Justin's hair affectionately as he rose from his seat to get more coffee.

"Ah, but remember, young Justin: there is no room for emotion and sympathy in the harsh world of mechanics and mathematics. I know you're trying...but you're not trying hard enough. Hey, and speaking of which, where _are _Stego and Bonehead?"

That mention then reminded Justin.

"They're hiding from Raptor," Justin answered with some afterthought, "and Compy went to go 'help' Raptor with his suffering from the hangover after his bet last night. So..."

Dimetro rolled his eyes as he sighed, "What number is it this time, Teryx?"

"I don't know, I lost count after five hundred," the archaeopteryx quipped, "Should we go to the infirmary now or later?"

"Let's wait until after breakfast," groaned Dimetro, "I've already have had enough stress and headaches from those two to last me several ages, and besides, perhaps not jumping to his help immediately afterwards may help Compy learn to not aggravate Raptor?"

"Personally, Raptor deserves everything he gets from him, and then some," muttered Itchy darkly. He, like Compy, never fully trusted the ex-Tyrannos and vindictively enjoyed every bit of torture the velociraptor got. It also didn't help the Itchy lost his sister and parents to the Tyrannos when they caused their hometown to cave in and be buried alive by a major earthquake the warmongers caused. Itchy never got over his family's deaths. Teryx hushed her fiancée warningly as Stego and Bonehead finally finished hiding and cowering.

"Is it safe to come in?" Stego asked timidly as his and Bonehead's head popped cautiously out of the doorway to the kitchen, "Or is Raptor hiding behind the refrigerator waiting to kill us?"

"It's safe," Allo commented as he rolled his eyes in a silent moan, "you two can come out now before your breakfast gets -"

Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, from the east wing of the Lavadome came a huge belt of trumpet fanfare, playing "Reveille" loudly enough for it to be heard throughout the Dinosaucer base. And it appeared to be coming from Raptor's room.

"Compy's handiwork, I presume?" groaned Allo tiredly.

"He can sure play that horn loud enough," murmured Tricero before an angry roar from Raptor rang throughout the hallways and was immediately followed by a series of yelps, curses, and crashes that could only be made by something heavy hitting the floor.

"Sounds like Raptor didn't enjoy Compy's wake-up call," Tricero stated, smirking, before Compy let out an incredibly falsetto scream.

"**_AAIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!_**"

"That _didn't_ sound good," winced Teryx as Compy's scream was drowned out by several more moments of smashing objects and booming blows before it got quiet.

"He didn't kill him, did he?" Bonehead twitched nervously.

"I daresay we are hardly _that_ fortunate," Plateo sniffed as Raptor finally emerged into the kitchen in an extremely foul mood, noticeably sporting a few bruises, as he walked in, ignoring the amused stares and disapproving glares from the breakfast table. He was wearing nothing but a pair of white boxers which contrasted against his lean, muscular black body. Raptor shot Bonehead and Stego a warning glower that meant they would meet a similar fate if they dared piss him off. Stego and Bonehead visibly gulped.

"The coffeepot's next to the sink, Raptor," Justin provided gently.

Raptor snapped, irritated, "I am not blind, Justin!!"

"If you wore any less clothing, _we_ would be," sneered Itchy at Raptor's apparel.

"Dare I ask if Compy is still alive?" Struthio leered good-naturedly at Raptor as Raptor sulkily got his coffee mug and poured himself a scalding cup from the pot; ironically, the coffee cup was a joke gift the Secret Scouts got for the black velociraptor, but it turned out that the Dinosaucer liked it enough to be his personal favorite and his general response to his demeanor. The cup has the words glazed onto the ceramic, "My Shitty Attitude Is None Of Your F$king Business".

"The little vermin tried to awaken me by playing that damned trumpet next to my bed and with the horn blaring directly into my ear," muttered the black carnivore murderously as he sunk heavily into his seat and slurped down the black liquid.

"Lemme guess: you got mad, tackled Compy to the ground before he could run out of the room, gave him a little pounding while sitting on him, and then shoved the trumpet into Compy's mouth," surmised Bronto-Thunder thoughtfully.

It was then that Raptor finally smiled evilly.

He replied, "Right idea...wrong orifice."

Everyone at the breakfast table winced and made small noises of discomfort.

Dimetro sighed as he got up, "I'll go get the infirmary ready..."

Teryx added with afterthought, "Tell Compy he probably wouldn't want to use the trumpet again after where it's been through."

**Yep, another chapter done and gone! A reminder that I DO own the characters Struthio, Raptor, Compy, Montacera, and Plato along with Justin. The inspiration for Raptor and Compy came from the love/hate relationship between Dinobot and Rattrap from the Transformer series "Beast Wars Transformers". Hey, what can I say? I LOVE Dinobot and Rattrap, and this just adds more fun to the story! So of course I'd incarnate them into "Dinosaucers" canon! It's funny!**

**Raptor: Correction, it's funny for YOU, you twisted deviant!**

**Compy: Yeah, only a nitwit would actually think I'd ever be friendly to this stick-in-the-butt!!**

**Raptor: YOU WANT ME TO USE SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A TRUMPET NEXT TIME, YOU LITTLE DUNG-BEETLE?!!**

**Compy: Not without forfeiting a few teeth, you won't!!**

**Anyways, while they're pounding each other, next chapter will be next Friday and I'm finally brining in the Secret Scouts, now all adults, as they attend Justin's birthday! But this is certainly going to be a birthday no one will ever forget!**

**Justin (deadpanned): You really love putting me through the gauntlet, don't you?**

**Hmmmmmm...yep. Read and review! Criticisms and suggestions are always welcome, but flames will find themselves mailed back to your doorstep with a bag of dog poop! That said, see you next Friday!**


	5. Birthday Surprises And We Use the Term L...

**CHAPTER 5: Birthday Surprises (And We Use the Term Loosely)**

"Wow, it's pretty nice being back, isn't it?" Paul marveled as he, Ryan, Sarah, and David sped across the mountains on their hover-bikes. The jet-propelled motorcycles were gifts Allo and the other Dinosaucers gave to the Secret Scouts the very day they met the four as teenagers. Not only were they durable and easy to handle, but it gave the quartet a unique joy to fly and zoom across the air like birds. It has been over four long years since the group had managed to have a reunion together like this. Conflicting schedules, busy summers, and higher priorities in life made it very difficult for David, Paul, Sarah, and Ryan to keep up their duties as the Secret Scouts, but since the Tyrannos haven't been seen nor heard from for quite a while, Allo understood and accepted that it was time for the Secret Scouts to concentrate on their own lives rather than on the Dinosaucers' needs. Besides, the Secret Scouts have done more than their share of helping the Dinosaucers settle on Earth so many years ago, and as of currently, the dinosaur aliens could handle taking care of themselves. However, the reason the Secret Scouts were coming back was because of a recent e-mail Allo sent regarding the surprise party for Justin's sixteenth birthday. Justin would be ecstatic to see the few people who loved him like a true friend and a brother again; he was heartbroken when he had to say good-bye as they left for college. It had been so long since the Secret Scouts got a chance to catch up with the Dinosaucers and Justin that they wholeheartedly agreed to come as a surprise. Well, most of them...

"Look Vanessa," Ryan Whitterson demanded to his secretary on his cell-phone in a tired voice over the dim of the hover-cycle motor and the echo effect of his green helmet, "I need those shipment reports on my desk tomorrow so that I can keep track of the next arrival of the 'Johnson & Johnson' and 'Biogen' cargo for the next meeting with the board."

A pause as he listened to some muted gibberish from the speaker before Ryan answered back, sighing, "Look, just try, all right Vanessa? I'll make sure you get paid for the overtime, and I'd really appreciate it. Where am I? Oh...just going to see some old business acquaintances. OK, see you then. Thanks again, Vanessa."

Ryan stifled a groan as he ended the call. He was now a tall, striking man of twenty-four with medium build, clear-blue eyes and short-hair, dressed in a dark-blue dress shirt and black tie with brown khaki slacks, still fresh from his last conference three hours ago, and in the rush, Ryan didn't have time to change his apparel to something more comfortable. Sarah and the others needed to leave immediately if they wished to reach the Lavadome in time and unseen. The plan was to have Struthio and Montacera take Justin on a field trip on the other side of the desert as a distraction while the rest of the Dinosaucers could prepare the surprise party and allow the Secret Scouts to come in, undetected. Hence the rush; Sarah wanted everything to be perfect.

Sarah Whitterson looked at Ryan suspiciously underneath her pink helmet. It wasn't like her brother to be so bothered and pensive, and she knew something was distracting him. In fact, out of all four of them, Ryan was the only one who seemed reluctant to attend Justin's birthday, complaining that he was swamped with work and meetings from the shipping company where he was working at. Their father, a manager at one of the nation's largest shipping conglomerates, managed to get Ryan a comfortable job at a small company branch after Ryan finished his MBA. Sarah literally had to drag her brother away from his work, pleading that a visit would mean so much to Justin. She was dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and dark-blue pants which did little to hide her beautiful figure, slim, curved, and yet attractively fit and toned from years of gymnastics and kickboxing. Like her brother, Sarah had blue eyes and blond hair, but her eyes were more clear and cornflower-colored while her long hair darkened slightly over the years to a strawberry-blond due to maturity and age. She was now working as a secretary at a prestigious law firm in New York and doing quite well for herself. However, unlike her brother, Sarah never came back to visit her family back in central Montana. No matter how much David asked her why, Sarah always just evaded the question, replying that she was always busy or that it wasn't a good time.

"Ryan, your office can handle it if you left for only one weekend to catch up with old friends," she said, "You rarely got a chance to see Allo and the others ever since you left. C'mon, try not to worry about work! You know how much this would mean to Justin if you showed up!"

"Yeah, I know..." mumbled Ryan, and if Sarah had listened more closely, she would have detected a note of bitterness to the sentence.

"Yahoo!" cheered David as he executed a perfect barrel-roll with his black hover-bike, his caution to the winds as he let loose and wild.

"I see you needed to let off some steam for quite a while, huh?" Paul smiled to his friend as he flew alongside.

David smirked, not the slightest embarrassed, "Hey, don't tell me you aren't happy that we're finally coming back, the whole gang reunited again, and that our little Justin is now finally sixteen years old!!"

"I know what you mean. It seemed like only yesterday when Justin was only a little child, and how Allo, Bonehead, and Itchy all gave him piggy-back rides around the Lavadome and how he played in the desert with Montacera and how Dimetro and Teryx were teaching him how to read and write. Hmph, listen to me, wishing and reminiscing to be a teenager again like some old codger. This reminds me of when the Dinosaucers and you guys threw me a surprise party for my egg day when I was around Justin's age."

"Well, all I know is that Justin has changed ever since we left so he might surprise us the minute we see him at the birthday party!" David smiled with fond memory. David McLagan was a twenty-four year old adult with short hair as black as raven feathers with a few strands of gray that gave him a wise salt-and-pepper look with dark-brown eyes and a well-developed frame that gave him the image of decathlon athlete. It wasn't much of a surprise that David was probably the most athletic and sports-crazed out of all the Secret Scouts which was why he got his education is Sports Medicine and became a physical therapist for professional sports teams. However, age had not dampened David's slightly hedonistic and wild, carefree wildness that can only be found in a man's heart. David was never restrained and never had much self-control, but he was a good friend and companion nonetheless. And he was now Sarah's boyfriend. He moved to New York to get a permanent job as the leading therapist and athletic physician for the Mets and the Yankees at the Shea Stadium, and to his delight, David found Sarah close by. Over the last year, they grew close and became immersed in an intimate relationship. Ryan and Paul both were thoroughly happy since Sarah and David were their closest friends and cared for the both of them deeply. As long as they were happy, it was all good.

Paul Dreggar flew next to David steadily. Paul was an African American adult of twenty three years, the youngest of all the original Secret Scouts and only behind Sarah by a matter of two months of age. Out of all of the four, Paul had drastically changed the most for he no longer wore those thick, black glasses but contacts, giving him a much less bookworm appearance. Paul also grew out his hair into inch-long braided dreadlocks, jutted out wildly on his head like a regular Jamaican hairdo. A trimmed goatee was lightly growing on his face, matching his mature and gentle personality. Reserved, soft-spoken, yet incredibly intelligent, it was no wonder Paul became a geneticist at one of the leading biotechnology firms in the United States. He had already published two findings on the human genome linking cancer and a protein leading to apoptosis and he was already at work on another paper about the infamous X-gene. The adult was dressed in a casual green polo shirt with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath and blue jeans which fluttered madly as they zoomed across the deep mountain terrain.

"Think much has happened to Allo and the other Dinosaucers since we left?" David asked Paul out loud. It was certainly a thought they have all been pondering for the past four years, that feeling of worry that things have gone to shambles when you left things to work out on their own.

"I don't think so," Sarah replied thoughtfully, "Allo said that the Tyrannos haven't been sighted for a long time...ever since the...the..."

She didn't need to say it; David, Ryan, and Paul knew which event she was referring to, and even now, it was difficult to mention it, nine years later.

"What about Major Cliffton? Think he's gonna still be tailing after Allo, trying to prove that the Dinosaucers exist and expose them to the public?" David tried again, but Paul shook his head.

"I do not think that would be a problem, David. Ever since the new conflicts about the rampant mutations that have been appearing throughout the world, I think the _last_ thing people are going to worry about are theories and controversial sightings about proposed life forms from outer space. After all, mutants have been a more realistic problem to the human society, so I doubt that even Cliffton would be so stubborn as to ignore _that_ crisis over his agenda with Allo and the Dinosaucers."

Sarah gave a revolted _hmph_.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Paul. I can scarcely believe it myself, that mutants are growing at an increasing rate but what I find even more disgusting is the way society is treating them. The Friends of Humanity, this Graydon Creed character declaring a religious and social war on all mutants, Reverend Stryker, Magneto, it makes me sick!! I mean, you should have seen how people were applauding and praising Christian hymns when two mutant children were found executed and hung on a playground! _They were just children_!! A mutant named Vance Astrovik was sentenced to jail for allegedly killing his father in self-defense when he father committed various acts of physical and perverted abuse on Astrovik as a child! If Astrovik was a human, he would have been acquitted without a second thought, but no! The only thing the jury could see was that he was a dangerous telekinetic!! And now, a lot of defendants in court are claiming they were 'brainwashed' by telepathic mutants to commit crimes and forced to do things against their will! Hell, so far, the New York district attorney had to endure the fact that two rapists, a guy who poisoned his wife, and even a previously convicted serial killer named Cletus Kasady got off scot-free using that load of bull!!!" **(See Author's note)**

"Why didn't they just simply ask a telepathic mutant to read their minds and see if they were lying?" Paul asked incredulously.

"Because no one on the district attorney's board was willing to use a mutant's judgment and ability to prove otherwise! Not only would it give the firm a bad image to associate with mutants, but the media backlash would be so negative that it wouldn't even be worth using a telepath in the first place!! My boss is already worried about letter bombs and hate mail from the Friends of Humanity and their supporters if they tried standing up for mutant civil rights and showing how they could be useful!"

"Sounds like you've been struggling with this for a while," David offered gently. He knew that Sarah was always one to stand up for the down-trodden, for "the little guy", for the disfranchised and the underprivileged.

Sarah gave her boyfriend a downcast look of personal sorrow.

_If you only knew_, she thought to herself. She exhaled loudly through her nose.

"It seems ironic, isn't it?" she said solemnly, "I mean, Allo and the others had to watch their own home die from war and earthquakes, and now, after coming here to start a fresh, clean slate, it seems their second home is about to suffer the same fate. Only difference is...it's a war between mutants and humans, not the Dinosaucers versus the Tyrannos. It's like they left one mess of a planet only to arrive into another."

"On the upside, it _has_ taken away the heat from the Dinosaucers and it's kinda given them more of an incentive to be cautious and discreet. I mean, if people are this uptight about mutants, could you imagine what would happen if they found out life in outer space exists and that the Dinosaucers and Tyrannos have settled here on Earth?" David asked.

"I just pray to God that that would never happen," Paul declared, his heart growing cold at the suggestion.

"Times have changed," remarked Sarah sadly, "it's no longer the carefree world of adventure and fun that we used to have as kids. Now, it's a new age of war and strife over the planet. I'm just glad that Justin doesn't have to live in that world, that he doesn't have to witness it, and that he's safe and sheltered from all that now that he's with Allo and the Dinosaucers."

The three of them were so engrossed in the discussion that not one of them noticed that Ryan was strangely quiet.

---

"Ugh, that was some walk," panted Justin as he, Montacera, and Struthio arrived back to the Lavadome entrance two hours later after trekking through the desert. Two hours under the hot blazing sun in the early afternoon, and already Justin was red in the face and dusty from hiking through the sand and dirt. Still, he didn't complain much. Spending time with the few Dinosaucers who were around his age was pretty nice and an excellent time to bond. And of course...

"Hey, where is everyone?" Justin asked, pretending to be clueless as he punched in the entry codes through the door's security lock, granting them entrance, "I don't see Bronto-Thunder and Teryx outside doing checks on the Lavadome's power supply. And aren't Stego and Bonehead usually playing some soccer or football around this time after they finished their chores?"

"I guess all the elders are in some sort of meeting," Struthio surmised, but he was smiling when he commented that. The doors of the Lavadome then slid open which then brought Justin his long-awaited present.

"**_SURPRISE!!!_**" roared out a plethora of voices unanimously and Justin just gasped in shock (though he had to fake it), "**_HAPPY EGG DAY, JUSTIN!!!_**"

Inside the decorated opening bay, gathered all together, were the Dinosaucers. All around were streamers and white and blue balloons tied to the furniture and littering the carpeted floor gleefully. On the far wall was a huge white banner in blue lettering saying "HAPPY SIXTEENTH!" and below the sign were white-clothed tables piled high with presents, all wrapped in various colors. In the very center of the heap was a mammoth white and blue birthday cake with sixteen blue candles burning softly, and Justin had to slightly marvel at the fact that the cake was about the size of a living room, large enough to feed over a thousand people. On the left side was another set of tables, but this one was laden and spread out with food, a lunch banquet prepared especially for the party. At least five different kinds of sandwiches, hamburgers, three different kinds of salad (regular, pasta, and fruit), two brands of potato chips, soda, water, a punch bowl...the list was endless, and Justin's mouth was already starting to water. However, there were four guests that Justin did _not_ expect to see, and it made all the more of a wonderful bombshell.

"Sarah! David! Paul! Ryan!" he exclaimed as he rushed up to meet his friends and fellow Secret Scouts. All four of the adults, especially David and Sarah, were very astonished at how much David had changed in the last four years. He seemed to grow more peaceful and gentle with every annual coming of age, and Justin's hair was now darkened and cut short and spiked along with a chubby frame and hazel eyes that displayed nothing of the horrors he endured as a child. He was no longer a kid anymore. David gave a playful growl as he grabbed Justin in a headlock and gave him sixteen painful noogies with the knuckles of his free hand.

"Hey, squirt, glad to see you too," the adult chuckled as Justin, laughing, tried to squirm out of the grip David had on him. Sarah had to roll her eyes as Justin managed to break free and give her a hug.

"Sarah, you guys came! I missed you so much!" Justin said gleefully.

"Likewise, Justin," Sarah replied with touched awe, "Geez, you've really grown like a weed! Can't say I can hardly believe you've already turned sixteen! I just wish we could stay here longer and catch up on all the time we lost while we were all off on our own college lives and careers."

"How long are you staying?" There was a sad note of disappointment in Justin's voice.

"We're only staying for the weekend before all four of us head off for the airport to get back home," Paul said gently as he ruffled Justin's hair brotherly, "But we might as well make the most of it right now, Justin. You know we wouldn't miss this for the world, you little scamp."

Justin then turned to Ryan who was a little bit distancing himself from the happy group. Justin just ran to the leader of the Secret Scouts and gave Ryan a bone-crushing hug. Out of all of the Secret Scouts, Justin trusted Ryan the most and looked to Ryan as a role model and older brother. Allo always warmly commented how if circumstances had been different, Justin would have had no problem if he was adopted into Ryan and Sarah's family. Ryan gave a grin easily enough.

"Missed you too, Justin. So...how's Allo?"

"Allo's doing great, and so have the rest of the Dinosaucers! It's been pretty peaceful for the past several years, and hardly a thing has happened, no emergencies, no earthquakes, no dangerous situations endangering the public. We hardly go on missions anymore, and it's gotten to the point where some of the guys are wishing something bad would happen so that they could have some fun and adventure and excitement again! But, what about you? Sarah e-mailed me that you've been really busy with work."

Ryan fought to keep the irritation out of his voice as he sighed, "I'm fine."

Justin gave a grateful smile as he said quietly, "I know you're busy, Ry...but I'm still glad you chose to show up despite things being hectic for you and your job at the shipping company. I just wanted to thank you for coming. It really means a lot to me, to know that things haven't changed and that I can see you again."

"You could always come out and visit us," Ryan said right before he realized how stupid that just sounded. Justin cast his eyes downward slightly in contemplating depression, but he didn't blame Ryan for saying it. There were times Justin himself forgot his situation with other people, and Allo and the other Dinosaucers forbade Justin from going out in public on his own. It was too dangerous, and there had already been several close calls. Justin then gave a hopeful smirk.

"Maybe I can wish that for my birthday," he remarked as he dragged Ryan by the hand excitedly to the party. Ryan seriously couldn't think up of an answer to that comment.

Later, as the party progressed...

"Oh wow! Thanks Dimetro!" breathed Justin in awe as he opened the box. Dimetro gave Justin a new black-and-silver laptop computer complete with a portable track-ball mouse, a CD/DVD player and burner, and a plasma monitor screen. Dimetro built the entire laptop by himself. All around Justin, after taking the edge of their hunger with the lunch spread, the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts settled on observing Justin opening their gifts, and already, many were lost in the curious anticipation of watching the look on the teenager's face and seeing what sort of treasures he would receive. Allo and Ryan were a bit off in the distance, half of the time watching the crowd and the other half conversing softly between each other while drinking a bottle of Coors beer. Already, they caught up on some tidbits of information such as Ryan's college experiences, his family, his friends, and life in general.

"Just like old times, eh, Ryan?" Allo smiled at the young adult, "I wish you came to visit us more often. I missed our private talks and the few times we hung out to chat and drink, just the two of us."

"Cool, I wanted this movie!" they heard Justin gasp as he unwrapped the three "Lord of the Rings" DVD saga Struthio got for Justin's birthday. Montacera then butted in to hand Justin her gift.

Ryan literally had to collect himself from retorting angrily as he sighed, "Well, you're incredibly busy right now, and let's face it, Allo: the Secret Scouts and I have our own lives to build up and take care off. Things have changed, and you yourself agreed that we needed to focus on ourselves and not worry about you and the Dinosaucers too much once we were about to leave for college."

Justin was heard laughing as Montacera hugged him gleefully, "Oh wow, such a great gift! Thanks so very much, Montacera! I love 'Avril Lavigne' and 'The Superstarrs'! Especially Paul Starr and Lila Cheney!" **(See Author's note)**

Allo gave Ryan a thoughtful glance as he took a swallow from his beer bottle. He said, "I know, Ryan, but I truly meant what I said. It would have been selfish of me and the rest of the Dinosaucers to continue to depend on you and Sarah and Paul and David to help us with understanding the human culture and to help us ease into our new home. We didn't wish to burden you four with our problems, and I know that deep down, you all needed to explore and go out into the world on your own without having us as baggage. Besides, we have grown very accustomed to Earth and its environment, and it is not as if we have any further need for you. Now is the time to view you as friends and long-time trusted companions rather than guides and acquaintances to help us understand about this planet. The Dinosaucers and I still care very much about you, and we have missed you greatly despite the e-mails and telephone calls and letters. We always wished to keep our friendships with the Secret Scouts, and as long as we live, the Lavadome will always be welcome for you four for a visit. And Justin could always use the additional company."

There was some laughter in the background as Justin thanked Stego and Bonehead for the football and football jersey. The jersey was green and yellow, the pride and symbol of the Green Bay Packers, Stego and Bonehead's favorite team, and of course, the pachycephalosaurus and stegosaurus were begging Justin to play one game with them after the party.

Ryan idly swirled the liquid against his glass bottle as his face slightly frowned at the remark about Justin. Justin, Justin, Justin...damn it, Allo's life revolved around nothing else but his son.

"Only _you_, Plato, would give Justin books for his birthday!" groaned David and Compy out loud and in good humor.

"Just because you two dunces have the vocabulary and sophistication of an infant harridan does not mean Justin should deserve to arrive to a similar fate of personal, mindless desecration," Plateo stuffily grumbled, his head held high, "Furthermore, unlike you ignorami, Justin thoroughly savors reading and cultivating his apperception. I am quite sure a fine connoisseur of knowledge such as him can find excellent uses of a thesaurus, dictionary of cultural literacy, and reference book."

"Yeah, as a drink coaster," sneered Compy. Justin, however, thanked Plateo sincerely for the gift.

Allo then turned back to Ryan, reading the features on his face for a minute before he queried delicately, "Ryan, care to tell me what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Allo," Ryan mumbled.

"You gave him a poker set?!!" shrieked Teryx in outrage as Allo and Ryan's heads perked up to see Justin opening Compy's present which included 4 sets of playing cards and a set of poker chips, enough for a group of ten people.

"What's wrong with that?!" Compy defended in the background of the crowd, "The kid needs to learn to start playing the game and making some nice investments! Strategy, planning, decisions under pressure, the art of deception and bluffing...everything he can learn in life is through a nice set of cards!"

"Translation: you want Justin to start learning how to play so you can win some money off of him!" snapped Teryx.

"Um...actually, Teryx, I _did_ tell Compy I was interested in joining his games one of these days," stammered Justin to Compy's defense.

"OVER **COMPY'S** DEAD BODY!!" snapped Teryx, Itchy, Tricero, and Sarah.

Feeling that the other Dinosaucers could settle this quibble, the dinosaur leader then turned his attention to Ryan, emotional concern and pity saddening Allo's eyes.

"Ryan, you know better than to tell me that. I've known you too long to suspect when something is troubling you...and I mean it when I said I would be here for you if you needed a friend. We've always trusted each other before when you were a teenager, and you can confide in me now if you still wish too. Nothing has changed, Ryan."

"All right! A whole set of the 'Harry Potter' books! Paul, thank you!"

Ryan wanted to snort at the allosaurus, to self-righteously shoot down that "promise", but he kept quiet. The blond adult then sighed again, almost jadedly, "Allo, I said I was fine. It's just work. Can you please just leave it alone?"

A bit disappointed, Allo nodded respectively. Hoping to break the subject, Ryan then asked the Dinosaucer, "How come you're not there with Justin? Don't you want to give him your egg day gift?"

Justin was then heard to exclaim, "Wow, thanks Bronto-Thunder, thanks Tricero!"

Bronto-Thunder smiled as Justin hugged him, "We figured you could use some new tennis shoes since your old ones were falling apart at the seams."

"And the black windbreaker would be suitable for the times you need to train in the desert," Tricero added amiably, "we designed it to keep you warm enough during the artic nights but it contains temperature-based releasing mini-coolants that will aid you under the sun."

All smiled warmly looking at the scene as he finished taking a swig, "Actually, I wanted to save that until the very end after the cake has been cut. I thought it would be best to wait until you and the others have finished giving him their presents before I give him mine. And speaking of which, I was about to ask you the same thing myself, Ryan."

"Actually, both Sarah and I chipped in together for Justin's present...and it looks like he's opening it now," Ryan stated as he and Allo looked at Justin pull a black, leather trench-coat from the box. It was exactly like the black coats worn in "The Matrix" movie, and Justin was a big fan of the character Neo. Justin was ecstatic.

"Thank you both! This is a great present! Ryan, Sarah, you two are the coolest!"

Ryan gave a forced smile, but inside, he was still a bit resentful. Trying to quell the bubbling emotion, Ryan then asked Allo with growing curiosity, "So, what did you get Justin for his birthday?"

"You'll have to wait and find out like everyone else, Ryan," Allo smirked mischievously.

"Wow, how nice of you! Now I can finally take pictures of my own! Thanks, Teryx! Thanks Itchy! I'm so using this!"

"Something tells me giving Justin a digital camera wasn't the brightest of ideas," groaned Itchy softly to Teryx.

"Will you just leave it be, honey?" Teryx sighed, rolling her eyes at her fiancée, "Just because Compy blackmailed you into doing his share of the laundry with that photo of you in your underwear doesn't mean Justin will do the same."

"Open mine next, Justin!" David said as he gave Justin a large white box with a red ribbon on it.

"This isn't something vulgar and dirty, is it?" Justin asked David with one raised eyebrow. He hadn't forgotten when he was eleven, David secretly introduced Justin to his first Playboy magazine on one of his visits to the Lavadome. It was a bit intriguing...except that Allo happened to find out when he and Bronto-Thunder found the magazine haphazardly stuffed in one of the toolboxes on the main hangar bay. Needless to say, Allo was not very pleased with his son at that time.

David put on an innocent face. He said, "Would I do something like that?"

"YES!" everyone chorused, laughing, although one could notice Sarah and Allo looking at David with narrow-eyed scrutiny. David shook his head as he nervously chuckled.

"Nah, I wouldn't do that to you again...especially on your birthday. And besides, I have the most wonderful girlfriend to make all those supermodels be put to shame."

"Good cover," Paul wryly commented as Sarah tweaked David's ear playfully.

Justin smirked, "Easy for you to say, David. _You_ weren't the one who got a two-hour lecture by Sarah and Allo, and not to mention _I_ was the one who got grounded for a month."

He then opened the present; it was an _XBOX_ game console, complete with four game controllers, a USB headset, and the game _Halo_. A few of the other Dinosaucers were also eyeing the console very readily, for it would certainly add much more fun to the living room of the Lavadome.

"Oh wow! This is great! Now we can start holding tournaments and play on the Internet with other on-line players without needing to leave the base! David, thanks! Me and the other guys could really use this!" Justin marveled.

"You're welcome, sport," chuckled David as the adult ruffled Justin's hair again affectionately.

"I get dibs on playing the first game with Justin!" Struthio declared. Teryx clapped her hands, gaining everyone's attention as Allo and Ryan, finally finishing their beer, ambled up to the crowd.

The archaeopteryx announced, "Well, since all the presents for Justin has been opened, we can finally celebrate with the -"

Raptor rumbled lowly, "Actually Teryx...there's still one more, if you don't mind."

Justin turned to see to his amazement, Raptor holding a small box in front of the teenager. The adolescent was stunned as he numbly accepted the box. So were the rest of the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts. Out of all the Dinosaucers, Raptor never had once given a gift to anyone regardless of the holiday, and Justin was no exception. Raptor looked extremely awkward and uncomfortable as he gave Justin his birthday present.

"For...for me?" Justin asked dumbly. Raptor gave him a deadpanned look.

"No Justin," he sighed sarcastically, "it's for the other human teenager who has lived his entire life and childhood at the Lavadome with us and who also coincidentally has an egg day same as yours."

Justin smiled as he opened the box with great interest. Both he and the other Dinosaucers knew Raptor wasn't sentimental, so to be given a gift by the Dinosaucer was as much as a surprise as the present itself. Inside the box was a large mineral of blue stone, so intense in color, it was like looking into the deepest, purest parts of the cleanest ocean, and it somehow was refracting the sunlight into a wide array of soft, rainbow hues and blue sheen. The crystal was wildly shaped in natural quartz form, and it was about the size of Justin's hand, sitting perfectly on a bed of hardened, blackened charcoal.

"A rock?!" sneered Compy at Raptor insultingly, "_A rock_?!! Oh wow, what a thoughtful gift to give to Justin, you lousy Tyrannos! Must have been appropriate considering you've got rocks in your head where your brain used to be!!"

"It's better than having an empty space of air where _yours_ should be, garbage eater!" snapped Raptor.

"Oh, kiss my ass, jerk-face!!" shouted Compy with his teeth bared.

"Try taking your head out of it _first_, vermin!!" growled Raptor, getting close to Compy's face.

"Dino-Traitor!"

"Puny Mud-Lizard!"

"I may be puny, but I'm still strong enough to mop the floor of the Lavadome with that wrinkled, greasy mat you pass off as a hide!!" Compy stuck out his tongue at Raptor and razzed him.

"Prepare to lose that tongue, dino-rat!" snarled Raptor as he was just about to pounce on the compsognathus, but Bronto-Thunder and Struthio managed to leap in between them and stopping the two quarrelling Dinosaucers from coming to another set of blows. Bronto-Thunder literally had to grab Raptor from behind in a bear hug to stop him.

"Have you two kids finished with your bickering yet, or are we gonna have to send you both to a timeout?" Bronto-Thunder grunted as he managed to calm down a panting Raptor.

"Oh shut up!" Compy and Raptor both simultaneously snapped at the brontosaurus as they both hurriedly and sheepishly backed away from one another, fuming and embarrassed. Justin cleared his throat as he spoke up to Raptor's defense to cover up the awkwardness.

"Actually, Compy, it isn't just any rock. Raptor told me a Reptilion legend that revolves around it when he showed me one piece he found in the mountains. This is called a moonstone. Raptor told me that moonstones were believed to be prayer stones of mystical power back at Reptilion."

Allo then sighed with attached memory, "Ah, yes, I remember that legend. Moonstones were described to be prayers planted directly into the earth by the spirit of a dinosaur prince who was born into the kingdom of a very cruel and malicious tyrants and devious, wicked dino-warmongers. The prince was abandoned and betrayed by his royal family who saw him unworthy of being the next ruler because he loved his people and was loyal to what was right rather than who had authority or had more power. So the prince was killed and buried in a wasteland. But the legends say that the soul of the prince formed the moonstone as it bonded with the earth, and as such, the poor subjects of the tyrants' kingdoms prayed in desperation to the prince's spirit for deliverance from the oppressive hold on them. Upon hearing the prayers under the light of the full moon, the moonstone eradicated the kingdom, killing all the tyrants with surges of energy, saving the poor subjects and giving them a life of freedom. Thus, that was what a moonstone is to our culture. It is a sacred stone of love and devotion and raw strength. In fact, they were the stones used for prayers when my aunt and uncle, the Dinosorcerer and the Dinosorceress, utilized their magic."

There was a pause as everyone took in the story.

Sarah then supplicated, "Moonstones are also supposed to be rare minerals, and judging from the size and color, that one you have Justin is probably worth a lot of money if you sold it here on Earth. You'd probably get at least over a hundred thousand. Not only are they rare crystals that can only be found in scant places, but blue moonstones are very popular for necklaces and earrings. And coincidentally...it's your birthstone, Justin."

"Leave it to Sarah to know everything about jewelry," smirked David.

"If I were you, I would take that as some sort of hint, buddy," Sarah shot back sweetly at her boyfriend, making the raven-haired adult blush.

"Looks like someone's going to be shelling out a lot of moolah for Sarah's next birthday present, sucker," Itchy snorted as he gave David a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, "She certainly got you whipped and on a leash, hasn't she, David?"

David then got an evil idea.

"Oh really, Itchy? Then tell me...when is _Teryx's_ egg day??" At the question, Itchy turned even redder than David as the Secret Scout's question was heard by everyone, including the female archaeopteryx, and all of the audience was listening with great interest. It was clear after a few moments of awkward fumbling that Itchy forgot when his fiancée's birthday was.

"Uh...heh heh, not now, David," he hissed in a sheepish undertone. Teryx looked annoyed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at Itchy.

"No, Itchy, I would personally love to hear you answer this one. _When **is** my egg day_?"

Itchy looked as if he wanted lightning to strike him down right then and there.

"I'll bet you another week on the cooking roster duty that Itchy is going to be sleeping alone for the next month," whispered an excited, gleeful Compy to Plateo.

"Certainly not!" huffed Plateo, "I would only take a wager with a scoundrel such as yourself if there was a distinct possibility that Teryx wouldn't be angry at Itchy. I am unquestionably not dense enough to think otherwise."

Raptor then gave an irritated growl as he gracefully interrupted the side discussion, temporarily ceasing it, yet whether he did it because the Dinosaucer wished to speak to Justin or because Raptor wanted to spare Itchy from further melodrama wasn't clear.

The black velociraptor gruffly said, "It isn't much, Justin. It was simply a crystal I happened to stumble upon one of my walks in the mountains at night. But, I thought it may as well been appropriate to bequeath it to you. If there is any person who could remind me of that legend of the foolish prince, it would be you."

Sarah had to secretly smirk. Moonstones were rare to find due to the fact that they had to be dug deep within the Earth's crust before one could even find a small cache of the stone, and central Montana was not famous for being rich in those crystals. Wherever Raptor got the stone, it must have taken him much energy and time to retrieve it.

"Thank you, Raptor," Justin said, touched and beaming, "it...it means a lot to me."

Raptor just simply grunted as he grumpily crossed his arms across his chest and leaned against the edge of the table, not bothering to look at Justin. Compy just gave Raptor an evil eye, fuming, as Stego dumbly pestered the small pygmy next to him.

"Wow! What a cool gift! That moonstone's a much more thoughtful present than your..." but Stego then stopped when he realized Compy was now looking daggers at him poisonously, daring Stego to finish the sentence and receive a good amount of pain in the process. The stegosaurus Dinosaucer then shut up; he realized Compy didn't like being one-upped, especially by Raptor, of all people. Bronto-Thunder and Bonehead then both brought out the cake, setting it gently in front of Justin as everyone started singing the traditional song (except notably Raptor).

"_Happy Egg Day to you, Happy Egg Day to you, Happy Egg Day dear Justin...Happy Egg Day to you!_" the crowd roared gleefully, and Justin was about to blow out the candles and make a wish when **it** happened.

Justin cried out in pain as he held his head which suddenly started to throb and scream in agony, his skull feeling as if someone cracked it open and filled it to the brim with hot, melted lead. It was pure torture, and already, Justin sank to the floor on his knees, sobbing.

"**_AAAAUUUUGGGGHH!! MAKE IT STOP!! MAKE IT STOP!!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!!!_**" the teenager hollered in despair.

"Hey, our singing isn't THAT horrible!" Itchy protested, but Teryx irately elbowed the itchyosaurus in the side.

"I _don't_ think now is a time for jokes, Itchy! Something's wrong with him!" she snapped as Allo knelt down worriedly in front of Justin, grasping his son by the shoulders.

"Justin, what's wrong?! Justin?! Justin?!!" but his son was so overcome in pain that he couldn't answer. The feeling was incredibly excruciating.

"I'll ready the infirmary," Dimetro said briskly as he went towards the doors. Allo was about to gather the adolescent in his arms when Justin, though he had no idea why, opened his eyes wide despite the rivers running out of them and screamed.

"**_LEAVE ME ALONE!!!_**" and immediately afterwards, it was chaos.

The reinforced steel doors in front of Dimetro instantly were surrounded by hundreds of thousands of white, shimmering sparks, and startled, Dimetro backed off cautiously. With a slight gleam, the doors disappeared, vanishing into thin air.

"By the gods of Reptilion!" Dimetro gasped.

"What's going on?!" gasped a stricken Paul as he stared at the hole where the doors used to be in disbelief. Like magic, the gleaming dust appeared above from the ceiling before revealing the metal doors in their full glory. A brief split-second, the hunk of steel hovered in the air before hurtling down on the crowd below. It would have been disastrous had Bronto-Thunder not acted immediately.

"I got it!!" he bellowed as the brontosaurus managed to catch the two-ton sheets of metal before they could crush the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts, grunting a bit as he exerted all his strength to prevent himself from losing his grip. Unfortunately, it was not the end. All throughout the living room, multitudes and multitudes of glittering sparks and flashing lights engulfed various objects before causing them to vanish, only to materialize again somewhere else. Within seconds, over a hundred projectiles were being teleported throughout the chamber, flying everywhere.

"Hey, my earrings!" gasped Sarah as they faded away.

"My wallet!!" yelled Ryan as he felt his leather possession leave from his pocket.

"Yow, duck and cover you guys!!" Struthio warned as he and Plateo covered their heads as the shining auras brought forth a barrage of silverware which flew swiftly across the room, missing them by several inches, before embedding themselves firmly into the wall like bullets.

"The cake!" gasped Montacera as it disappeared from sight, but several seconds later, it loomed above Tricero and Bonehead before landing messily upon the two, hulking Dinosaucers, covering them with a mixture of frosting and dough with a loud _thwap_. Bonehead immaturely and dumbly licked some of the mess off his hand.

"Yum! Chocolate!" he grinned.

"Will you quit thinking about food for once, Bonehead?!" Tricero snapped as Ryan's missing wallet hit him in the face painfully.

"What is this?! Is this some sort of tactical assault of war?! By the Tyrannos?!" Plateo asked in a dazed manner as the big-screen TV from the living room hovered above the air and crashed to the floor next to him.

Dimetro then shouted, "NO! Can't you see?!! It's from coming from Justin!"

Allo firmly held his son's face as he brought his cool, scaled forehead against the teenager's, saying methodically, "Justin, calm down! The pain won't go away if you keep screaming! Calm down, Justin! Calm down! Just relax!! Don't focus on the pain!! Just relax! Please, Justin!! Listen to my voice, just relax!! Justin, relax!"

"Allo..." Justin whined as he tried his best to not give in to the hellish migraine of a thousand fires, and slowly, but surely, the dancing lights around the room started to lessen, flickering out and extinguishing bit by bit until they had all disappeared. When it was all over, everyone could see that the entire room was trashed and in disarray, food, shattered glass, and twisted bits of metal and wood everywhere. Bronto-Thunder gently let down the heavy doors he was carrying, and everyone else managed to shakily emerge from the floor and hiding places, still in shock. Tricero and Bonehead were covered with the remains of the cake, Compy had a cut on his cheek from a narrowly-missed piece of glass, and David had a bruise on his arm. However, everyone was pretty much unhurt and safe. Unfortunately, all the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts were fearfully staring at Justin, gasping and whimpering in Allo's arms, on the floor, as Allo worriedly and hesitantly stroked his son's head, bewildered beyond comprehension.

"What...how??" trailed off Teryx as she just breathless tried taking in what had just happened seconds ago. But it was Ryan's voice that provided the obvious answer.

"Justin's a mutant!!" he snarled, and everyone was startled to hear the accusing hatred in Ryan's voice.

"Justin?" Allo whispered in flabbergasted astonishment, and for once in his life, words failed him.

The stunned silence did nothing to comfort Justin as he just held on to Allo, his body slightly trembling. The teenager stared at his hands before he turned to Allo and the other Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts, his voice cracking with disbelief and fear.

"Allo? What...what's wrong with me??"

---

In a distant castle far away at the same moment...

"Elder Gideon, my Lord, forgive my intrusion, but there is a matter of great urgency you must attend to..." the messenger apologized bravely as he bowed with regretful respect while entering the large study. Gideon was not pleased as he snapped his head up from his reading of the scrolls of Lord Oberon given to him by the fairy, Puck.

"I told you to not disturb me, Josiah!" Gideon snapped, "If there is an emergency, tell my sons Krygaw and Damionax immediately, and they shall handle the problem!"

"Our scrying crystals have picked up an awakened aura of our bloodline in the physical world, my Lord," the messenger persisted.

Gideon was outraged, furious beyond disbelief, unable to understand.

"**_WHAT?!!_**" he roared, "Amongst the human race?!! That cannot be!!"

"My Lord...it is from the scourge."

Gideon went white before his face flushed scarlet, his fists clenched and his goatee twitching with his mouth. That could only mean one thing...

"Your orders, Elder Gideon?" the messenger bowed again.

"Tell Damionax and Krygaw to take twenty of our swiftest and strongest soldiers and to prepare for the hunt."

"Your will be done, Elder," the messenger replied obediently as he turned and swiftly left to deliver the message to Gideon's kin and commander-in-chiefs of the army. Gideon strode over to the far wall of the study and took out an oaken box from the shelf, the wood gilded from age. Unlocking it with a wave of his hand, the Elder drew out a black dagger of dark magic, its blade razor sharp and begging for blood to spill.

"Damned half-breed," whispered Gideon to himself furiously, "_This_ time, I will make sure that my mistakes never arise again to trouble me."

**Author's note: Elder Gideon, as much as I wish, isn't mine. He is from another TV show, but it is NOT a cartoon or from the Marvel universe! All I can say is that all will be revealed in Chapter 11 and 12, but I think you might be able to guess what is Gideon's link to Justin. Also, the characters Lila Cheney and Paul Starr are Misfit Marvel characters made by fellow fanfic writer, L1701E! Even though I can't give them a cameo, I CAN give them a small mention since the Superstarrs band would probably have gone platinum 10 times over in any universe! However, the postscript in the paragraph above where Sarah was describing the cases her firm was dealing with, I will again bequeath a thousand fan points if someone can identify ALL the names and references Sarah mentioned. Hint: they're ALL from the Marvel universe! Until next Friday, read and review! Tune in for the next chapter "The Blame Game"!**

**Justin: This is beyond any doubt the most traumatic birthday I could ever have!**

**Rogue: Trust me, I'VE had worse! At least Red Witch isn't giving you a cameo in HER crazy universe!**

**Justin (scoffs): Oh please! No one could be THAT sadistic and crazy to torture me even more after everything I've gone through in my life! She can't possibly be THAT bad!**

**Misfits and X-Men and G.I. Joe: Famous last words...**


	6. The Blame Game

**Author's note: Yep, Red Witch got it! Vance Astrovik is Young Justice of the Avengers and coincidentally, he's Firestar's (Angelica) former boyfriend!**

**Pyro: WHAT?! How dare he move on my fire-goddess?!!**

**And Cletus Kasady was the serial killer who binds with the alien symbiote to form Carnage, a much more vicious enemy of Spider-Man! Anyways, enjoy the continuing series with this next chapter!**

**CHAPTER 6: The Blame Game**

Justin sat morosely on a small crevice of rock jutting out from the sandy ground of the desert plains not too far off from the Lavadome. After the mess had been cleared out and the shock had initially worn off, the Dinosaucers requested an immediate emergency meeting, a real one. Teryx and Dimetro had Allo bring Justin over to the medical ward where they ran several extensive tests, body scans, and blood sample analysis. Justin just numbly followed along, going through the motions like a dazed zombie, unaware of time and the present as he just kept having questions flying through his head.

_Why me? What's wrong with me? Why is this happening? What will this mutation do to my life?!_

Justin kept breathing heavily as these unanswered thoughts kept rummaging through his mind, leaving him a nervous wreck. He didn't mean to cause to cause so much damage in the Lavadome living chambers, and yet...it had been so easy. It felt like a huge surge of exhilarating, powerful euphoria, of letting loose and free. And it scared him. Allo kept holding his hand, whispering to him that no one blamed him for the accident, that it was nothing to be worried about. Yet, Justin could have seen that his father couldn't have been more wrong, that he was desperately lying through his teeth.

Teryx and Dimetro were throwing worried glances at Justin, and Justin felt hurt when Teryx used gloves for the very first time to handle his blood samples as if they were some sort of radioactive, bio-hazardous waste. Dimetro nervously kept his distance as he kept misplacing and absent-mindedly dropping his medical instruments. A definite sign that the dimetrodon was flustered. And when Justin left the infirmary, the attitudes of the other Dinosaucers had noticeably changed as well. Itchy and Bronto-Thunder were looking at him with pity, and Justin absolutely hated that. As if he was a hopeless case, as if he was about to be handed a death sentence. Plateo, Compy and Tricero immediately stopped talking when Justin entered the newly cleared living room, and at once, it became silent as the Dinosaucers uneasily coughed and glanced at him. Justin just became more depressed as he left the room, and although he could hear the muted voices of Struthio, Montacera, Stego, and Bonehead angrily reprimanding the three Dinosaucers for their behavior, it didn't make him feel much better. Already, Justin felt his life was cursed as it always was. Yet what Justin remembered was the most painful was running into Ryan, the Secret Scout Justin always trusted and cared for. Ryan immediately turned around and stomped off in the other direction, not bothering to look at the adolescent and saying coldly over his shoulder how he didn't want to be contaminated by "a mutant freak".

That stung. So much for thinking that there was a chance for people to love him after so much pain and strife and undeserved anger in his life.

Justin ended his flashback, sitting in a fetal position with his crossed arms over his knees, sorrowfully contemplating as the hot desert winds ruffled his hair. He heard a noise and a soft cough of awkwardness behind him, but he didn't need to turn around to see that it was Sarah, Paul, and David. After all, all the Dinosaucers were in the conference in the Lavadome, and Ryan made it clear that he didn't want to be viewed as being close with Justin.

David then said gawkily, "Uh...hey, Justin. You...you doing OK?"

Sarah had to restrain herself from slapping David upside the head as Paul inwardly groaned. _That_ had to be the stupidest question one could ever ask in this situation. Justin just remained silent, not moving a muscle. Feeling that she was the only one in the group capable of being the most comforting and sympathetic, Sarah slowly walked up beside her friend and sat down next to him.

"We'll get through this," she murmured, "Allo and the others have faced much worse surprises than this, and you know they would never turn you away or abandon you. The Dinosaucers love you like one of their own children, and it's definitely a lot deeper than any of the relationships they've had with us. They'll get used to this."

"Just like Ryan?" Justin asked in a sad voice, "After all, he's known me for a long time, and this came to be a big, rude awakening for him. He doesn't want to see me, does he?"

"Er..." Sarah didn't want to repeat the words Ryan said when she, Paul, and David went to go cheer up Justin, but it was _anything_ but friendly. Justin, however, guessed the truth.

"I know how Ryan feels about this, Sarah," moaned Justin miserably as he burrowed his head into his knees, "I don't blame him for not wanting to associate with me anymore...but it still hurts that he's abandoning me! That he's turning his back on me! I thought he was my friend...and I looked up to him like an older brother! But then again, who wants a brother who's a freak?!"

Justin was close to breaking down as tears welled up, and Sarah just sat next to Justin and drew him close with one arm as Paul and David just stood by, unsure of how to comfort their friend. Granted, they could understand Ryan's fear and loathing when they found out about Justin's new abilities, but they knew better that it was something their young Secret Scout had absolutely no control over, that this was something he never wished for, that being a mutant was something he was born with. And mutant or not, it wouldn't change that Justin was always one of them, that he was their friend and comrade.

"You're not a freak, Justin," Sarah supplicated gently, "And though I admit, finding out you had...mutant powers...was definitely a big shock..."

"But we know it's not something that is of your fault. You can't control the DNA and genes you were given just like I can't change the fact that I'm black or that Sarah is Ryan's sister," Paul added thoughtfully.

Sarah then said, "Justin, it's not the end of the world that you're a mutant. In fact, it's probably better that you are given your current situation because you know as well as the rest of us that the Dinosaucers are not hypocritical. They're also hiding from human society, so they will understand the importance of keeping you safe and hidden due to your powers. I mean, even now, they've made sure you've had a great home at the Lavadome, just so that there's no need for you to go out and deal with what will happen when you come out in public. To tell you the truth, Justin, you're in a somewhat better situation with the Dinosaucers than if you were living in the city or back at any human civilization."

David then offered helpfully, if not blithely, "Well, there is a bright side to this Justin: at least being a mutant won't hurt you any further. I mean...people already hate your guts enough as it is without even knowing you were a mutant."

Sarah, reddening in the face, turned to growl at her boyfriend.

"David!" she warned through her gritted teeth.

The raven-haired adult just held up his hands in awkward defense as he explained nervously, "Hey, I'm just trying to point out a bright side, Sarah! I mean, it's pretty well-known to everyone that every time anyone sees Justin, they go completely psycho and try to hurt him or attack him!"

Paul sighed, "As much as I am shocked to admit it, David has a good point...do you two remember when we tried going to the mall to celebrate Justin's 10th birthday?"

They did...

_It was a warm sunny day and the shopping plaza was brand new, just begging for the chance to be raided and explored by various teens and adults wishing for a break in the quiet, luxurious air-conditioned building. Unfortunately, it was anything but serene for Justin as he started drawing people's attention the instant he stepped into the building. At first, it just became glares and sneers thrown in their direction, but the longer Justin lingered around, the more hostile the crowd became, and some stores refused to let the Secrets Scouts in because Justin was with them. Eventually, Sarah, David, Paul, and Ryan, who carrying a whimpering Justin, ended up sprinting as fast as they could out of the shopping center as a large mob of men, women, and children were chasing them, hurling derogatory insults and soda cans and rocks._

David them sadly remarked, "Yeah, I remember that, but it wasn't nearly as bad as when we tried taking you to "Chuck E. Cheese Fun N' Games" for your 7th birthday party, Justin."

Justin tried not to wince at the memory...

_When the Secret Scouts entered the building, it had been only less than several minutes before Justin was crying for help as he was tied to a statue of Chuck E. Cheese himself, and all around Justin was a heap of trash and flammable material as a crowd of parents surrounded the statue with lighters and matches, demanding furiously to burn the "demon child" to the stake. And Ryan, Sarah, Paul, and David were doing their best to break through the crowd with fire extinguishers as the garbage all around the stake blazed with flame._

"On the bright side, it was worth it to see Sarah knock out the attendant dressed as the Chuck E. Cheese character with an uppercut when she managed to drag you out of the bonfire," David managed to awkwardly laugh, though he was troubled at the event.

"I also felt sorry for the woman who tried to club me with the pizza pan," Sarah reminisced, "I honestly can say I didn't mean to knock out her front teeth when I bashed the skeet ball into her face."

Sarah then sighed sadly as she forlornly stated, "And do you remember when Justin came with us to help out with the Girl Scout Troop I was facilitating?"

_It didn't take long before Sarah, David, Paul, Ryan, and Justin dashed out of the Girl Scout building complex as a crowd of ten-year old girls chased after them, screaming with anger as they carried little hatchets in their hands, threatening to chop Justin into "itty-bitty pieces"._

_"Out of all the days you **could** have asked us to help out, we had to come on the day your troop was supposed to earn their wood-chopping merit badges?!!" Ryan yelled._

_"Oh shut up and keep running!!" Sarah snapped back._

"Which reminds me...I'm sorry you got disbanded from the Girl Scout association when the leaders later found out you were my friend," Justin murmured apologetically, but Sarah just shook her head with easy grace as she hugged Justin again for comfort.

"Ah...well, I never really wanted to be a Girl Scout Troup leader. It would have taken up too much of my free time, and I had other priorities in my life as well, so it wasn't entirely a huge loss."

Justin could tell she was lying, and the guilt came back even worse.

Paul then stated wearily, "And I remember when Ryan, Justin, and I simply went to go get doughnuts at the Dunkin' Doughnuts store five years ago..."

_"Can you drive faster, Ryan?!!" shrieked Justin the front seat as the back windshield of Ryan's black BMW exploded from several bullets._

_"It's kinda hard to when we have the police shooting at us!!" snapped Ryan with worried adrenaline as Paul told him to swerve left at the next intersection. Normally, car chases would be an attractive sight, but there was nothing interesting about the fact that Paul, Ryan and Justin were riding in Ryan's car, being pursued by a score of over a hundred police cars and vans, all of them containing angry cops waving and brandishing rifles and guns with their sirens blaring._

"I guess I really can't blame Ryan for being frustrated with me then," sighed Justin wearily and morosely, "I remember Sarah telling me how much he was chewed out by his parents back at home when they saw how much his car was wrecked and when the police had to interrogate him for over two hours, demanding my whereabouts. He was actually pretty close to serving a jail sentence, just because the Chief was so mad at me escaping."

"It wasn't your fault, Justin. You didn't know that the doughnuts shop was hosting a party for the graduating class of new officers of the city police department. And besides, Ryan and I may have been questioned and verbally harassed, but I'd do it all over again if it meant keeping you safe. And despite Ryan's behavior as of now, I know that deep down, he would too," Paul said gently as he knelt down and rested a hand on Justin's shoulder.

David then spoke, "Yeah, Paul's right, Justin. You know Ry cares about you. Remember when we took you to see your first baseball game between the Red Sox and the Cubs at the city stadium a month after Allo found you in the desert?"

"It was his _only_ baseball game, David," moaned Paul.

_Ironically, Ryan and David both felt that a trip to the local baseball stadium to see his first ever live-baseball game would do Justin a world of good. He had recently managed to recover and be dismissed from the infirmary only a few days ago, and the two boys suggested that perhaps some fresh air and entertainment would further help Justin get over his traumatic experiences. Unfortunately, when Justin, Ryan, and David settled in their seats, neighboring fans hurled food and degrading curses at the three. But that was nowhere as bad as when the camera focused on the image of Justin on the stadium wide-screen for everyone in the building to see..._

_David sprinted out of the stadium and into the parking lot, carrying Justin on his back with Ryan following close behind, using a baseball bat to deflect the hurled projectiles of baseballs, bats, rocks, and food from striking them. And what made it even more dangerous was the fact that the team members of **both** the Red Sox and the Cubs were chasing the three boys along with the umpires and the audience._

_"GET THAT KID!!" yelled the Red Sox pitcher, swinging a baseball bat._

_"They're part of the curse on our teams! Kill them all!!" howled the Cubs shortstop as he kept throwing baseballs at the three figures running for their lives, with Justin too terrified to cry as he held on to David tightly._

Sarah frowned as she contemplated all this. She remarked, "You know, now that I think about it, it seems really odd that every person Justin meets up with goes completely insane and does nothing else except trying to kill him or make his life miserable..."

Paul agreed. He said, "You are valid on that issue, Sarah. It cannot be a mere coincidence, and most of the perpetrators are complete strangers to Justin. They have never met him nor do they have any knowledge about him or his past! And yet that still does not hinder them from acting so savagely."

"Could it be his power? Y'know, mutant pheromones or something? Might explain why they only seem to go psycho whenever they're around Justin," David offered suggestively. Paul shook his head and sighed.

"No, for it were, it would not explain why the four of us have never given in to such animalistic behavior. We have known Justin for a good portion of all our lives, and yet by contradiction, nothing of the sort has happened to us. Additionally, Justin just had his powers emerge now, so it would be unlikely that if they were dormant during his childhood, Justin's mutant abilities would not have triggered the mobs back then. And besides, the Dinosaucers are immune to the effects as well, so if it is simply a matter of biological signals, it wouldn't explain their status of no effect or ours. After all, all of us are living beings as well."

"From the way Ryan is acting, I wouldn't exactly call him human...the jerk," Sarah growled darkly.

It was always the same, the insults, the rejection, the fact that he was worthless, a miscreant, a plague that brought filth and danger to everything he touched. Justin then knew he was meant to be alone. He was damned. He couldn't escape it. Justin tried to hold it together, but it was too much as the tears started to well up.

"It's OK, Sarah...After all, it's better for me to suffer than Ryan...you really can't blame him...I wouldn't want to curse him with my life...or you guys...or Allo and the others..." Justin whispered, trembling, his whole body shaking with cold spasms.

Justin then started to sob, crying as the memories of pain and hate overwhelmed him, and even though Sarah, David, and Paul gathered around the adolescent, trying to console him, Justin wished that he was never born.

---

Ryan strode into the living room of the Lavadome after a good hour of frustrated twitchiness, about to go get his motorcycle helmet. No sense in staying since he still had a lot of work to do, and there was no way in hell he was going to associate with that freak of nature any longer. Then he saw Sarah, Paul, and David marching up to him from the doorway, determined and undaunted. Ryan, not bothering to divulge in some pitiful, saccharine, "we-are-all-equal" speech, just took his helmet off the pegboard off the far wall and turned away.

Paul wasn't easily brushed off. He said evenly, "Ryan, we need to talk."

"Look, I'm not in the mood, you guys. I have to catch a plane back home." The blonde-haired adult continued to head towards the hangar bay without even glancing at his three comrades.

"Ryan Bradford Whitterson, don't you dare walk away from us!!" shouted Sarah, using her brother's full name to let him now she meant business. Yet it was only until David grabbed Ryan by the collar of his dress shirt and pulled him back roughly to face them that the blond-haired leader of the Secret Scouts finally worked up the decency to look at his three fellow friends.

"Will you three just get off my back?!" Ryan snapped, irate and growing even more dangerously angry, "I'm not interested in getting close to Justin or apologizing on how I feel! So save your breath!!"

David growled as he poked a finger into Ryan's chest, "Quit being such an asshole and drop the mutant-hating bigotry, Ry! You're not helping Justin or Allo with your attitude!!"

"Trust me, the **_last_** thing I want to do now is help that mutant!"

David was livid, automatically defending Justin's honor as he grabbed Ryan by the shirtfront, snarling, "Keep talking like that, and I swear it **_will_** be the last thing you ever do to the kid!"

Ryan pushed David's hand away from his persona, shouting, "Gee, again you side with the twerp over me! Why is it I'm not surprised?! After all, no one can resist favoring the 'charity case' over there! Everyone is always willing to bend over backwards for the weakling!! Nice way of being a friend, David!"

"There aren't any sides in this Ryan!" pushed Paul, frustrated.

"Shows what you damn well know, Paul!" snapped Ryan, now even more cornered and defensive.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!!" demanded Sarah, her hands balled into fists as she fought the urge to punch out Ryan right there and then, "How could you treat Justin like that?! He's your friend! He looks up to you like a brother, and yet all you can do is whine and bitch as if there's something wrong with him, as if he's some sort of freak!!"

"He's a mutant!! That says he's a freak in my book!!"

"But he's still the same Justin who we know and love! He's still the same Justin who's asked you for advice and adored you like a puppy dog! He's still the same Justin who loved it whenever you took him out on camping trips with Allo! He's still the same Justin who's always been kind, accepting, gentle, and compassionate! Even Raptor admits that you're even being colder than he is, Ryan! And **that's** saying something!"

Paul then heatedly argued, "Ryan, to hate Justin simply because he is a mutant is completely unfair and narrow-minded! Justin was born with it!! He didn't get to choose what genes he inherited nor has he wished for this to happen to him! You have known Justin for ten years and never had a problem with him before, so to say you're being righteous in starting to show apathy and revulsion now just because a few objects go flying around is just pathetic, Ryan!"

"Ryan, you have no reason to be so cold to Justin! He's never done anything to hurt you!!" David shouted.

Now the argument was getting ugly; they were all treading on very tense ground.

Ryan then completely lost his temper and self-control as he roared, "You're wrong!! Ever since Justin came to live with the Dinosaucers, he's brought us nothing but pain and trouble!! I've **always** resented him!!!"

"WHY?!!" demanded Paul, Sarah, and David in unison, now ready to lose their respective tempers.

"**BECAUSE HE STOLE ALLO FROM ME!!**"

Sarah, David, and Paul all stopped, gaping. There was a slight pause as they took in the sentence.

"What?"

The question was stunned, definitely as if Ryan dropped the ball. David, Paul, and Sarah just stared at Ryan blankly, silently, their anger momentarily gone and replaced with confusion and puzzlement. Ryan gave a resentful and frustrated sigh as he finally opened the floodgates to his heart, his voice dropping in volume but still barbed.

"Damn it, you guys, why can't you just see it? Before Justin came...I dunno how else to explain it...everyone was happy! We didn't have to deal with troubles about being chased by mobs or fearing that the Tyrannos were going to hurt Justin or mutant powers! Everything was perfect until...until **he** came along! We were happy, the Dinosaucers were happy, and Allo and I used to be close! We were inseparable! I loved him like he was a part of my family, like he was my uncle! And then that damn, pathetic whiny excuse of a kid came along and stole Allo from me! Ever since then, Allo cared about nothing else except his precious son! Yeah, sure, he always made sure he kept up his duties as a leader and held the Dinosaucers together and still remained friends with us, but what I used to have with him, the old spark that we had together, that made our friendship unique! It's gone! Gone because that damn son of a bitch replaced me as Allo's main concern!"

"Let me get this straight," David asked, shocked, "The whole reason you hate Justin...**_is because you're jealous??!_**"

"If it wasn't for him, me and Allo would have still been close as before," muttered Ryan heatedly.

Paul said, placating, "Ryan, think how immature and petty you sound right now as of this moment. This isn't right, for you to resent Justin just because he has Allo's affections and that you are unwilling to share him, regardless how wrong that just sounded. Allo is a living being, not a thing to squabble over. You know Allo still cares for you!"

"It's not **just** that, Paul! Didn't you just hear a word I said?! Why have you guys been so blind about it? Did you even wonder _why_ I didn't want to come to this damn birthday party in the first place? Did you?! No! It's because everyone is always worried about hurting Justin's feelings and wants to do everything they can to make sure he doesn't suffer, but as a result, it drags us down! Justin always was a burden...to us _and_ the Dinosaucers! Every damn mess he brings, whether it was the Cubs game fiasco to the shopping mall, Justin has to bring trouble and as usual, _we're_ the ones who have to haul his butt out of there at our expense!! And don't try denying it isn't true! You three know damn well it's always Justin the mobs want to hurt, it's always Justin that causes us to be pariahs and outcasts because people hate us being associated with him!!"

"Even so, it's wrong to blame Justin! He can't help the fact that those people are being heartless jerks! He's the victim here!" David argued.

"And that's no excuse for being such a jerk about Justin's mutation! Justin hasn't done anything to ruin your life! He would have never hurt you the way you're hurting him now, Ryan!" snapped Sarah.

"Oh really?!" barked Ryan, now even more vindictive, "Just like how he ruined your chance of going to college and getting you declared as the proverbial daughter of our family?!"

Paul turned to Sarah, confused, asking, "Sarah, what did he mean by that? What's he talking about?"

Sarah went white as she set her mouth in a thin line, hissing, "No, Ryan..."

Ryan glared back venomously as he then looked at David.

"Did Sarah ever tell you why she never found a good time to visit our parents? Did you ever wonder why she insisted that you not visit her at her campus nor attend her college graduation? Did you ever find it suspicious why Sarah really never let on much about her life during these past five years?"

"Ryan, stop it!" Sarah's voice was close to pleading. Ryan just ignored his sister as he just steely continued towards Paul and David.

"You want to know why?? It's because she _never_ went into college! It's because she's been working odd jobs as an office temp until she could land one at the law firm where she is currently! You want to know why she could never go to college?! Because our father and mother disowned her once she turned eighteen because of her associations with Justin! As a result, she got cut off without a penny, and without funds for college, she couldn't afford to go anywhere, so that's why she has to work! It was the only way she was able to survive because our mom and dad dropped her!"

"WHAT?!" exclaimed David and Paul in outrage as they looked at Sarah. Sarah then explained in a tired, distant voice.

"It was five years ago, around when we were celebrating my birthday shortly before the day we graduated high school. Don't you two remember? When David bought me the bottle of wine as a present and the day before you got news of your scholarship, Paul? Well...I also invited Justin. It took some pleading from both me and Justin to convince Allo to let him attend, and we were both really happy when Allo agreed. Until the day of the party. Justin was about to come towards my house when our mother and father spotted him arriving towards our front door. Though we couldn't explain it, our mom slammed the door on Justin's face and refused to let him in the house, and my father threatened to call the police if Justin stayed. They even burned the present Justin brought for me in the fireplace. When I found out, after the party, me, Ryan, my mom, and my dad had a huge argument, and they were able to deduce that this was the same Justin who got Ryan in trouble with the police after the Dunkin' Doughnuts store car-chase. They demanded me to report to the police where Justin lived was since they thought Justin was a menace to society and that the lawful and right thing to do was to have Justin removed and taken away. I refused. Then my parents said that if I chose to protect Justin over my own family, then I was no longer welcome to be part of the family. They said the minute I graduated, I was no longer welcome back home. In short, they would pretend they never had a daughter. I...I chose to protect Justin. The rest...well, Ryan just told you."

"I didn't know that," frowned David as he looked at Sarah who angrily turned crimson.

"Why didn't you tell us? We could have helped you," Paul offered worriedly.

"It was a family matter, David. I didn't want to involve you or Paul. It was between my parents, Ryan, and I," she said heatedly.

"Yeah, and look what it cost you, Sarah!! You deserve better than that, and yet you had to forsake it!! All because of **_him_**!!!" Ryan snarled.

"It was a sacrifice I was willing to make, Ryan!" shouted Sarah furiously, "and you have no right to say whether it was Justin's fault or not because I sure as hell know I _don't_ blame Justin for it!!"

"But **I** do!!" bellowed Ryan, now even becoming more inflamed from the memory, "You think that I didn't care, that it didn't tear me up inside, that I wasn't crushed to see that happening to sister?!!"

"Even if I didn't do it for Justin, I would have done it anyways because it was the right thing to do! I don't regret protecting him or the Dinosaucers! Mom and Dad were wrong to treat him so badly! He's my friend!"

"And as a result, your life got ruined! And yet Justin gets off unscathed, just like the selfish, coward he always was! And now you want to lower yourselves even _further_??! By being a mutie-supporter??!! Damn it, don't you see?! Ever since Justin came into our lives, he's been nothing but trouble and a burden! He ruins everything!!" Ryan bellowed.

Paul frowned as he reasoned gently, "That is how you feel, and perhaps...there's some truth to the reasons. But Ryan, you know as well as all of us do that you have no right to be jealous and resentful towards Justin because you think he took over your role in Allo's life. And you certainly cannot blame Justin for the fact that trouble has constantly tortured him. If anything, you should understand that Justin needs a little happiness in his life and that he certainly doesn't deserve to be abandoned."

"Geez, Ryan, even **I** can see that you're being a selfish jerk about this! Think about it! You have everything a kid could ever want! You have a home, rich, loving parents, a sister who will always be there for you, a college education, and a happy childhood! But what does Justin have? Nothing but all the crap and beatings and insults and various strangers trying to make his life a living hell!! He has nothing going for him!! And screw your thoughts, Ry!! I agree with Sarah's decision! Hell, if I found out sooner, I would have yelled at your folks for treating her or Justin that way!! I'm just sorry **_you_** couldn't do the same!" David snapped.

"Do what?! To sacrifice everything I've worked for, everything in my life, everything that I love and cherish?! All for Justin's sake?!! It's hardly what I'd call worth it!" Ryan retorted.

Sarah then said the most painful words Ryan could ever hear from his sister.

"Justin needs Allo more than you, Ryan. Allo cares for you as a friend...but he cares for Justin so much more because he's his son. Because Justin never had a father. Accept that, Ryan. Accept the fact that Allo, and the rest of us care for Justin and that we're willing to do all we can to help him. Accept the fact that being a mutant doesn't change our views about Justin. He's still the same Secret Scout whom we trust and care about."

Ryan then let out the beast from his soul.

"The only thing I'll accept is the fact that I regret that I didn't leave the brat behind so that one of the countless mobs could have finished him off for us when I had the chanc-"

CRACK!

Sarah's eyes were cold ice before she then realized what she just did out of uncontrollable anger. She let out a small gasp as her eyes clouded with tears as she stared at her numbing palm and then at Ryan's reddening left cheek where she slapped him. Paul and David were stunned, and so was Ryan. He and Sarah never fought and hit each other before; it was an ultimate betrayal of their sibling relationship.

"Ryan..." Sarah tried to apologize, "I...I'm..."

Ryan just gave an annoyed growl before stalking off in a huff, distancing himself from the other Secret Scouts. Sarah just clasped her hands together worriedly and numbly as David draped an arm around her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Paul's mouth was set into a grim line.

"_That_ went well," he exhaled wearily.

"Ry's all right, Sarah," whispered David to his girlfriend, "it's just that he can sometimes be too stubborn. He knows you didn't mean it."

Sarah didn't say anything, but just continued to sadly stare at Ryan's retreating form, wishing that Justin would not continue to have his life plummet downhill due to forces the teenager couldn't control. How wrong she would be several hours later.

**Author's note: Well, that's another chapter come and gone, but now we focus on how the Dinosaucers are dealing with Justin's mutation! Fans of the Dinosaucers canon will NOT want to miss the next chapter because it explains what exactly happened nine years ago and reveals a bit more of why the Tyrannos are not around. All this and more on the next chapter "Screaming, Arguing, Discussing...It's All The Same".**

**Althea: HEY! You said this was a Misfit story!**

**Todd: Yeah, we've only been in for one chapter so far!**

**I will get to you guys soon! Trust me, I'm not going to forget about you guys! You'll be in the chapter after the next one!**

**Trinity: Not anymore! We took the liberty of doing a few selective editing on your computer! Hee hee hee!**

**HEY! GET AWAY FROM MY KEYBOARD!! Anyways, feel free to leave a review while I try to undo the damage Trinity did...HEY, PRINCESS-FLUFFIETTA-TINKERBELL IS NOT A DINOSAUCER!!**


	7. Screaming, Arguing, Discussing…It’s All ...

**CHAPTER 7: Screaming, Arguing, Discussing...It's All The Same**

"So Justin really _is_ a mutant?" queried Itchy incredulously, his brow crinkled in shock. Raptor, who was sitting next to him, gave him a look of exasperation.

"No, Itchy," he drawled in a condescending, sarcastic tone, "all humans have the ability to call on objects and summon them into their possessions by a plethora of white sparks. I do not know what logical thinking ever did to you, but it certainly doesn't deserve to be butchered by your feeble, small mind and ability to state the obvious repeatedly."

"Speaking of things being butchered..." growled Itchy, his eyes flashing as he got up menacingly from his chair, but Allo stopped it with a brash, short command.

"Enough."

Itchy reseated himself, but not without shooting Raptor a poisonous, cold glare which Raptor dismissed uninterestedly.

All the Dinosaucers were seated in the main conference room of the Lavadome, which also happened to be in the center of the main control room of the Dinosaucer base, amidst the computer controls, wide-screen monitors, and the domed, metallic ceiling. In the very center sat a circular, stainless-steel table and all around, seated, were the Dinosaucers: Allo, Compy, Bronto-Thunder, Dimetro, Montacera, Stego, Tricero, Plateo, Teryx, Struthio, Itchy, Raptor, and Bonehead. It was here where they usually had their group meetings and discussions.

"How can it be possible?" asked Bronto-Thunder, "I mean, we've known Justin ever since he came here ten years ago, and he's never shown anything saying that he was a mutant and such."

"And exactly how does a human become a mutant anyway?" Stego added, still unable to grasp the seriousness of the issue.

Teryx explained, "A mutant is a human earthling with the ability to do what normal humans cannot. They are born with a genetic makeup that gives them traits of astounding capabilities, similar to what the Secret Scout rings have done for Paul, David, Ryan, and Sarah, except in this case, Justin was born with it. The X-Gene, a single nucleotide sequence in the human genome, is what mutates the individual, and though it is usually dormant in the current gene pool, it can be awakened, whether it is through natural or artificial causes like pollution and radiation. Some mutations are benign, such as a greater bone density or increased capacity for brain use, discreet changes that do not affect the person's appearance or have their bodies go through anything drastic. Yet most mutations are not like that. When triggered, the can give the aforementioned human unbelievable gifts of powers such as shape-shifting, feral instincts, ability to control fire, the earth. The variations can be infinite! It all depends on the person's DNA."

"So what you're saying is that Justin was _born_ a mutant, that this wasn't some accident on a whim or something because of what he had done," summarized Struthio thoughtfully and carefully.

"Exactly."

"But, why on Reptilion would it depict itself and manifest now, at this time??" queried Plateo.

Dimetro provided wearily, "It is because Justin has reached a point of adolescence, the period where the human body undergoes hormonal and biological alterations, and as such, it becomes a catalyst that triggers the X-Gene into emerging into the phenotype. Since Justin is a teenager, it was only a matter of time before his powers would manifest. It was just simply a matter of bad luck that it had to be now on his birthday."

"A pretty rude awakening, that was," Compy muttered, "but then again, based on what happened in the TV room, we were lucky not to get seriously killed!"

"Shut up, Compy," growled Allo, overhearing him.

"So...what exactly can Justin do?" Bonehead asked curiously.

"We aren't really sure," Dimetro sighed, "Our testing can only go so far as to identify whether or not Justin was positive for the X-Gene. We don't have the understanding or the knowledge of how to classify his mutation...not that it matters now."

Allo's head snapped up, alarmed and defensive. He certainly did not like the sound of that. He demanded sharply, "And what exactly is _that_ supposed to mean, Dimetro??"

The dimetrodon bit his tongue. He was grateful he talked with Teryx, Bronto-Thunder, and Tricero before bringing up this tense subject at the meeting. The Dinosaucer chose his words very carefully as he spoke to the allosaurus, "Allo, we've talked about it, and we best thought it would be beneficial and safer for Justin if we could seek...outside help with Justin's mutation."

Stego frowned uncharacteristically. He asked, "You mean...like some scientists or...the X-Men?"

None of the Dinosaucers were ignorant at what was happening with the human society on the planet Earth right now. It was hard not to remain so. You would have had to been deaf, dumb, blind, and living on the far side of Pluto not to hear it every day in the news, media, papers, and general consensus and gossip. Anti-mutant hysteria and hate were so rampant throughout the world that it made the Dinosaucers even more cautious to ensure that they would never be discovered and exposed like the mutants have been. After all, if humans were this close-minded and bigoted towards their own race, then it was a given how they would react to permanent alien visitors. The Dinosaucers have witnessed much in the media, learning quite a bit about the mutant teams, the X-Men, the Teen Titans, the Avengers, Spider-Man, and Magneto and his Acolytes. They also learned about the extensive capability of fear and loathing as they watched debates and demonstrations of hate on the news by Graydon Creed, Reverend Stryker, the Friends of Humanity, Cobra, Hydra, the Sentinels, and other groups and weapons made to destroy and exterminate mutant-kind. Despite the fact that Allo and the others believed that there were a few good people like the Secret Scouts who believed in protecting the future and not warring over how others are different and that they agreed that peace between all races and cultures is possible, Allo felt that it was best if the Dinosaucers did **not** involve themselves in this fight. Yes, if it were caused by the work of the Tyrannos, then it would be different; it would be their duty to protect citizens and stop the warmongers. However, to have the Dinosaucers expose themselves on public and ultimately making them a target for the military, terrorist organizations, and the like was horrendous, not even tolerable to think about.

"What exactly are you getting at, Dimetro?" Bonehead queried, and everyone could notice that his voice became hard, angry even, "You want us to leave Justin there, abandon him??! To one of these fanatic groups?!"

"No, Bonehead, but calm down and listen!" Bronto-Thunder came close to shouting, "Allo, I know this may not be desirable, but we're not proposing to abandon Justin! We don't want the kid to get hurt, and we would all want him to stay here with us for the rest of his life! But you also need to think! Justin obviously has no control over his powers, and what we saw earlier was only the beginning! What if he causes our cloaking device over the Lavadome to disappear, creates an explosion at the main controls, accidentally breaks the foundation of our base, or even extracts our vital organs like our hearts and brains?! Allo, can't you see that if don't find someone to help Justin, he would endanger himself or one of us!! And I know Justin wouldn't want that! He'd rather hurt himself than one of the Dinosaucers!!"

"Personally, I wouldn't mind if he hurts the Tyrannos-traitor we have mooching off of us," grumbled Compy, glaring at Raptor. Raptor just ignored him.

Teryx then added, "Allo, we did a little research and there are some groups that could help Justin control his powers! Teach him how to adjust to them so that he won't be a danger to himself or others! Allo, we're not depicting Justin as a monster, but we're worried without help, things might get worse."

Bronto-Thunder then remarked, "We think the best thing would be with the vigilante group of mutants called the X-Men, led by the Professor Charles Xavier. Allo, this might be a good thing for him! Xavier already has adopted tens of children with mutant powers and has taught them how to control them and use them for others' benefit, like mutant version of the Peace Corps. Xavier has several instructors and enough financial support and land to accommodate hundreds more. If Justin stayed over at their mansion, he would be properly trained, more so than we could ever do. Allo, we need to face facts: we **can't** help Justin with this. We aren't capable of it."

Despite the reasonable facts and gentle pushing, Allo was fuming, and he just glared at Bronto-Thunder, Teryx, and Dimetro, automatically disapproving and silent. And he was not the only one.

"Training? Training?? By the gods of Reptilion, Bronto-Thunder, do you and the others even comprehend what you are suggesting?! If Justin goes to the X-Men, he'll be trained **_as a soldier_**! As an instrument of war, to fight and go into the thick of danger of the battle between the mutants and humans! You'll be inadvertently endangering the young one's life if you send him there! Can't you see that you will be placing the child in a position of great risk and jeopardy, that you shall be sentencing him as a target in this atrocious clash of arms?!" Plateo protested.

Raptor then finally said gruffly, "You will be placing the child in a war that is not his to fight."

Stego then complained, "And you're forgetting that every time Justin mingles with humans, they try to hurt him! What makes you think the X-Men will be any different?! Justin can't possibly live with them!"

Montacera then heatedly shouted, "And you're abandoning him!! I can't believe you, Tricero!! This is as good as betraying Justin's trust! He thinks you'll be there for him, protect him from all danger, and yet you're trying to find the most convenient way to get rid of him!!"

"Quiet, Montacera!!" scolded Tricero sternly, "You know as well as I do that that is not the case!! We just want Justin to stay there and get help until he can control his abilities! It is **not** abandonment!"

"Doesn't look that way to me!" the montanoceratops teenager retorted.

Struthio then asked gently, "Dimetro, what if...instead of sending Justin away, we requested Xavier to come to us, to send us an expert or a scientist here to stay with us at the Lavadome? That way, Justin won't have to go anywhere."

Itchy snapped, "That's out of the question, Struthio, and you know it! There is no way in hell that we're going to expose ourselves to the human world! We've already done that far too many times in the past to take any risks now! It's not worth bringing them into our circle! Don't you realize how many enemies the X-Men have?! By requesting Xavier's help, we'll be making ourselves welcome targets to any nut-job that has a grudge against them!"

Struthio then growled, "Hey, don't yell at me, Itchy! I don't like the idea of asking for outside help anymore than sending Justin away, but at least it'll be the lesser choice that won't hurt my brother!"

"But it'll bring us more trouble in the longer run!!"

"**_ENOUGH!!!_**"

The shout from Allo brought all conversation and yelling to a standstill, and everyone's attention turned to the Dinosaucer leader. Allo set his mouth into a tense line as he steely gave his conviction.

"I have thought about this, and nothing more needs to be said. **_My answer is no._**"

This immediately did not suit well for some of the Dinosaucers.

"Allo!!" protested Tricero, now angered that his leader was being too stubborn and dismissing their concerns so nonchalantly.

"I have made my decision. Justin won't be going anywhere, and we will not attempt to contact anyone for help with this matter."

"Allo...just try to think about how it might help -"

"The discussion is over, Teryx," Allo rumbled, resentment and thin patience covering his deep voice, "I am not abandoning my son to those facilities run by those monsters...he can do just fine with us to guide him and protect him. We have enough advanced technology and resources to see if we can help Justin control his powers before they get out of hand. _He stays here_."

"That is hardly a fair decision, Allo!" Dimetro protested, "You're not even considering the entire facts -!!"

Allo then interrupted his comrade again, gritting his teeth as his voice became hard, "The only fact we need to view is that Justin is a part of our group..._he's my son_....and I will not do anything that will endanger my family."

At this, Tricero lost his temper and he shouted as he stood up and slammed his hand on the table, frustrated and at his peak of his ire.

"Damn it, Allo!! Justin is _not_ Vera!! Justin is _not_ Alloette!! He isn't even your flesh and blood, and no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise, **adopting Justin as your son isn't going to bring your family back**!!!"

There was a shocked silence, and even Teryx and Dimetro were staring at Tricero with ghastly dread and outrage. Plateo and Struthio were gaping at Tricero with wide-eyed shock, their jaws ajar slightly. Teryx held a hand over her mouth, her eyes in tears, afraid at what would spring up because of the harsh words. Dimetro, along with Bronto-Thunder, was frowning unceremoniously, even though they did agree with Tricero's sentiments, however gruff and forward they may be. Yet being inconsiderate to Allo's feelings was an issue neither one would ever dare tread upon...ever. Bonehead, wincing at the thought of the incoming battle, blushed as he bowed his head low, and Stego suddenly found a growing interest on the ceiling as he averted his gaze. Itchy just gave Tricero a glare of exasperation, a sarcastic look that said "Nice going, idiot". Compy looked like he was ready to duck and cover underneath the table, and the only thing holding him back was his pride. Montacera gasped angrily and, in true teenage fashion, she was already on her feet, her hands balled into fists that slammed hard against the edge of the table, as she gave Tricero a mixture look of pity, anger, and conflict. Raptor just remained cool, stony, and as usual, indifferent.

It was Allo, however, that was the most disturbing. His eyes, no longer playful and soft, were steel and narrowed in new peaks of fury, and his jaw twitched as he gritted his teeth so painfully, the bone was jarring in throbbing bolts. He slowly, with as much self-control as he could muster, rose out of his seat, the veins standing out of his hands and arms is defensive anger, his claws actually digging into the surface of the table, before he growled at the Triceratops commander.

"Don't you ever...!" bellowed Allo, so livid that he couldn't even finish the first sentence as he let loose on the Triceratops, "How dare you?!! **_How dare you!!!_** You have no right to pass any judgment on how I raise my son!!"

"It had to be said, Allo, and you know as well as I do that it's the truth," Tricero said bitingly, "I don't dispute that you care very much about Justin, and do not think that any of us do not see the child as one of our own. However, everyone except you can see that you're simply using Justin to compensate for the fact that you lost your family back at the Great Reptilion Wars, and as such, you're blindly overlooking the fact that you'll be putting Justin and the rest of us in further danger."

"I would never hurt him!!" Allo protested.

"I'm not saying that you would intentionally, Allo. But can't you see you're being stubborn about this, that you're being so bull-headed and adamant that you can't see the future dangers of Justin's mutation?! Are you so consumed with guilt and grief over Vera and Alloette that you selfishly fail to see how the rest of the Dinosaucers will be endangered?! Allo, stop acting like you're the only victim of the Great Reptilion Wars! We've **all** lost families and friends from the earthquakes and fighting that devastated our home planet!! Bronto-Thunder lost Apatysaurus, Itchy lost his parents and sister, our rulers, the Dinosorceror and Dinosorceress, are dead, Bonehead lost Bonehilda and Numskull, and I had to see the bodies of Dino in Red, Commissioner Stonebone and my fellow troops! Police-asaurs I went on patrol side-by-side! I lost my sweetheart, my boss, and my fellow friends all in one blow!! So damn it, Allo, stop being so dramatic in thinking your loss is the only one that matters here!!"

"You're out of line, Tricero! We can handle things well enough if Justin's mutation escalates!"

Tricero gave a harsh snort as he pointed out furiously, "Oh really? Did it ever occur to you what would happen if Justin was ever found out by the Friends of Humanity? Or by Major Cliffton and the army? They'll either kill Justin or dissect him, and either way, it will bring more danger and expose us to the Earth that the Dinosaucers exist!! Did it ever occur to you that Justin's mutant powers could bring more unwanted attention and surveillance that could jeopardize everything we worked so hard to establish ever since the Tyrannos destroyed Reptilion?! Oh, and let's not forget what would happen if the Tyrannos ever got it into their thick skulls of how they could manipulate Justin and his abilities!! Can't you imagine what would happen if they ever found out about Justin being a mutant?!! Dei and the other Tyrannos would then have no problem using every dirty trick up their sleeves to take him away from us, including bringing us down any way they can!! And you say Justin won't bring us further trouble?! Let's not forget what happened when Genghis Rex was alive and kidnapped Justin when he was seven years old!!"

Allo's eyes clouded in remorse and resentful coldness as he replied shortly, "_That_ was a long time ago...and Justin's life was in danger! I had no choice!"

"Funny, neither did Genghis Rex," Tricero retorted back...

_It was over at the Tyrannos' base, in the middle of nowhere and deep within the Colorado mountains, where Allo and his group of Teryx, Itchy, Stego, and Tricero stormed in, blasting at their enemies with their fossilizer guns, turning several of the Tyrannos dinosaurs into stone temporarily. However, Genghis Rex had his men surround the splinter group, unaware that the Secret Scouts and the rest of the Dinosaucers were already infiltrating the base; Allo and his team just provided the distraction. And Allo wanted to face Genghis Rex himself. Allo and the others were outnumbered two to one._

_Genghis Rex crowed in front of them, flanked by his cronies, sneering at Allo, "Looks like I got the upper hand on you once again, Allo! Now, give me the designs for the Lavadome power source!"_

_That was the whole plot of the kidnapping, for Genghis Rex and his Tyrannos needed a sustainable power generator to fuel their headquarters, but only the Dinosaucers were able to successfully create such a device, and without energy, the Tyrannos were very handicapped. And none of the Tyrannos were as intelligent and resourceful as Dimetro and Teryx. Thus, that was why Genghis Rex kidnapped the young child; the Tyrannosaurus Rex knew Allo would gladly give up everything for the safety of his foster son. So the Tyrannos leader was surprised to hear Allo's feral snarl._

_"**Where is he, Genghis Rex?**"_

_"Don't change the subject, you fool-asaur! The plans, Allo. Give me the plans, and I'll tell you."_

_"I did not bring them. There will be no way in all of Reptilion that I would ever submit to your initiative." That was a stunner, and the Tyrannos then dissolved his surprise into outraged gall. All right, if the stubborn Allo wanted to play hardball..._

_Genghis Rex then pressed a button on his metallic wristband, sending a radio signal to the computer controls of the Tyrannos' base to immediately start the gas chambers connected to the metal cell imprisoning Justin, flooding Justin's prison with enough carbon monoxide to asphyxiate the child. He laughed maniacally, "Then you just doomed your second child, you sentimental twit! The signal I sent through my wrist-comm will immediately start the gas to suffocate the boy in his own cell, and only **I** know the password to shut down the -"_

_Genghis Rex did get a chance to finish his sentence as an enraged Allo immediately charged past the group of surprised Tyrannos and tackled the tyrannosaurus to the ground. Allo's eyes were twitching, his vision red as he pinned his adversary to the metal ground and grabbed the red lizard's neck with one hand, froth bubbling in the corners of his mouth. The Tyrannos made a move to shoot Allo, but then a large explosion came from the wall next to them, splitting the barrier with an explosion of fire and hot gas and sending the red-skinned warmongers flying. It was the other faction of the Dinosaucers, Compy, Bronto-Thunder, Dimetro, Bonehead, and Raptor, and without giving the enemy a chance to recover, the Dinosaucers fossilized them all with incredible efficiency and accuracy. All except Genghis Rex who was at Allo's mercy._

_"**Damn you, where's Justin?!! SHUT IT OFF!!! NOW!!!**" Allo roared, still straddling atop Genghis Rex. The red carnivore was starting to become unraveled, his cocky demeanor cracking, at the look of rage and hellfire in the brown allosaurus' eyes._

_The Tyrannos then cried helplessly, "It's your own fault, Allo!! If you brought me the generator plans, you wouldn't have to watch your son die like your wife and daught-!!"_

_That was all Genghis Rex got to say as Allo drew his other claw back and punched Genghis Rex hard across the jaw with a right hook, the mention of Vera and Alloette immediately sending Allo into an unstoppable rage. Blood started to immediately cascade out of the Tyrannos' mouth like a explosion, the fluid mixed with bits of bone from his shattered teeth. Genghis tried to block the next one, but Allo was now bellowing gutturally as he struck Genghis Rex again._

_SMACK!_

_Genghis Rex's nose was now broken._

_SPUCK!_

_Allo's claws left hideous slashes across the Tyrannosaurus' throat, and the Tyrannos' leader weakly gurgled for Allo to stop, but the Dinosaucer wouldn't listen._

_CRACK!_

_Now the other Dinosaucers could see the blood all around the two squirting and flying madly, splattering everywhere, and Allo kept ruthlessly striking and clawing at Genghis' rib cage with the Tyrannos' feebly trying to push the heavy allosaurus off him, but to no avail._

_"Allo, stop!! Allo, for the gods' sakes, stop!! Please, stop it!! **You're killing him**!!!" Teryx shrieked as she brought her hands to her mouth in horror as Allo continued his onslaught._

_By now, Tricero and Bronto-Thunder tried to grab hold of Allo's arms and drag him off the Tyrannos leader, but with a powerful roar, Allo threw them off effortlessly, insane with rage as he continued pummeling Genghis Rex. With such raw strength fueled by hate, anger, vengeance, and adrenaline, nothing could calm down Allo. His vision was actually clouded in red, and Allo only heard faints screams and noises in the background against the blood roaring in his ears as he used every ounce of strength to hit, claw, and strike at the Tyrannosaurus Rex's body. He wasn't even aware that he now had gore covering his hands, didn't even comprehend that Genghis Rex was no longer struggling, that he was still assaulting the leader despite having Bonehead, Stego, Tricero, Dimetro, Itchy and Bronto-Thunder trying to restrain him by grabbing on to his arms and body. Allo just kept striking and hammering with all of his hurt, his pain, and his loss behind every lash and punch, the memories of Vera and Alloette fueling his wrath. Yet, then a voice rang out, bringing Allo out of his murderous stupor._

_"Dad!!" cried Justin. It was amazing how loud the child could scream, the yell echoing eerily across the control room._

_Allo stopped, snapping out and back into consciousness, now feeling awkwardly burdened by the weight of six dinosaur bodies trying to restrain him. He turned desperately to see a trembling Justin holding close to the side of Ryan as they stood with Sarah, Paul, and David a little distance behind them. The Secret Scouts managed to rescue Justin in time. Allo was overjoyed beyond words at the sight of his son back, not noticing that the room was eerily quiet._

_"Justin!" Allo exclaimed with grateful relief as broke free and half-walked, half-ran towards the Secret Scouts, but then he observed to his confusion, Justin was cowering and staring at Allo like he was some sort of monster or ferocious beast, edging closer to Ryan's side._

_"Justin?! What's wrong? Whatever is the matter?? It's me, Allo..." but then the words died in the Dinosaucer's throat as he then saw clearly the demeanors of the others in the room. Sarah held a hand to her mouth, and she looked beyond Allo with her wide eyes streaked with tears. David looked as if he was ready to be sick right then and there. Paul was shock-still, like a statue, blinking behind his glasses but unable to utter a single word. Ryan looked pained as he sorrowfully looked at Allo with pity. It was then Allo realized that his entire front and claws were covered with blood from Genghis Rex. Already, some started to drip off the uniform and splattered onto the metal floor softly; Allo was completely soaked with it. With disbelief and numbing shock, Allo just looked at his claws, his breathing labored and shaking, looking at the bits of flesh and matter that glistened under the light while swimming in the patches of red liquid, as if he was unwilling to believe how it got there._

_Allo then turned to where he fought Genghis Rex, hoping desperately to see the Tyrannos leader up and about, ready to make a corny threat or insane, maniacal jabber about how the Tyrannos would come back next time. Genghis Rex had to still be alive...he just had to be. Yet it was not to be. To Allo's horror, Genghis Rex just laid there on the floor on his back in a pool of blood, his limbs and tail limp and his face and jaws left frozen in a silent scream. Yet those were the only parts of his body that were still recognizable. The entire body of the Tyrannosaurus Rex was disemboweled. Throughout the chamber, they could see the damage done by Allo's claws and fists, the hacked organs and heart, already starting to turn darkish blue with death, the broken fragments of bone popping out of the tattered chest cavity, and the pieces of flesh and skin littered all over the floor like crimson confetti._

_Dimetro, Bronto-Thunder, and Teryx were already beside Genghis Rex while the rest of the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts just looked on apprehensively. Dimetro checked for vital signs as a minute of silence passed...and then he sadly shook his head as he gently closed Genghis Rex's glazed eyes with his hand. Dimetro then announced in a emotionless voice, "He's dead."_

_The leader of the Tyrannos was dead; Allo had killed him._

_All the Dinosaucers, Secret Scouts, and Justin turned their attentions to Allo again, seeing their leader and noble guardian at a loss. He broke the one rule he had himself preached so many times: Dinosaucers never kill. Allo appeared incredibly remorseful and broken, but in another instant, he managed to numbly pull himself together, though one could see the haunted look of shame and regret in his brown eyes. Taking out his fossilizer gun, Allo reversed the beam's energy, dousing all the petrified Tyrannos soldiers with light and reversing them all back to their flesh-and-blood forms. At the sight of their leader, the Tyrannos were completely at a loss as they gathered around Genghis Rex's dead body, inconsolable. Allo then addressed them all coldly._

_"Go. Take your leader's body and never return here. We will destroy this base before we part ways, so that the only thing you need to concentrate on is survival, not merciless killing and destruction on this planet like you have so heartlessly done with Reptilion. If you dare show your faces around here again...**I will execute all of you.**"_

_Everyone, human, Dinosaucer, and Tyrannos alike, shuddered at the icy finality of Allo's voice, and Anklyo, one of the Tyrannos soldiers and Genghis Rex's right-hand commander, stammered pitifully, "But...but you're the good dinosaurs! The good guys! The heroes!! You don't kill!!"_

_"All bets are off if you dare threaten my son again," Allo growled murderously, but his voice was cracking with compunction underneath the façade of brutality. At this statement, the remaining Tyrannos blubbered and whined, cowering in fear, as they gathered up Genghis Rex's remains as best they could and immediately headed for their spaceships to flee while they had the chance. In a matter of minutes, the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts saw the respective enemies' aerial transports take off from the main hangar bay, disappearing into the distance of the setting sun. It was a quick retreat. Yet even though it was a victory for the Dinosaucers, no one in the room felt like celebrating as Allo walked away, slowly and in torment, as his teammates and family watched him silently. And not a single person followed Allo._

_That night, after the Tyrannos' base on Earth had been obliterated by using several explosives and an underground well into the Earth's magma to turn the land into a smoldering, volcanic site to cover up any indication that the Tyrannos lived there, things were a bit tense at the Lavadome base. Allo sat dejectedly and miserably in his room, alone and despondent. Teryx gave him cold glares of blame all night, and Allo heard from Bonehead that she was crying over Genghis Rex's death in her room with Itchy trying to console her. It wasn't much of a surprise since back at Reptilion, Teryx and Genghis Rex used to be sweethearts. Dimetro and Tricero were also acting distant and disapproving of Allo as well, and they wouldn't even acknowledge eye contact with him, silently shunning him. Bronto-Thunder and Stego left Allo alone after several attempts to talk to him, and Bonehead had to drag Compy angrily out of Allo's room after the compsognathus thoughtlessly said that Allo should be more tolerant of Compy's disdain for Raptor since Allo got to murder Genghis Rex. Raptor, surprisingly, was a bit helpful as he stated to Allo before he left, "Every war has casualties. To desire otherwise is foolish...admirable, but foolish."_

_It was around midnight and almost everyone was asleep when Allo heard Justin inch into his room, clad in his pajamas and looking extremely cautious and hesitant, like a scared child that wasn't sure if he was going to be punished or praised. Allo was still sitting heavily on his bed, his shoulders slumped, not even bothering to look at his son. He was so sure Justin was terrified of him. Yet instead of rejection, Justin tearfully whimpered the one thing that broke his father's heart._

_"Allo...please don't leave me. I'm sorry if I did something wrong, just don't be mad at me."_

_Choking, Allo embraced Justin in his wide arms, and for the rest of the night, Allo just cradled his son to sleep, his heart cold with dread and unwilling to put the human child down, almost as if the Dinosaucer was afraid Justin would fade into thin air if he let go._

_The next day, Allo gave Justin a Secret Scout ring._

All the Dinosaucers looked incredibly uncomfortable as they remembered the memory; it was one of the few incidents around the Lavadome that was taboo. Even though Allo apologized to everyone and gave his teammates the chance to decide whether or not they wished to have another person take over the role as the leader of the Dinosaucers, in the end, all the Secret Scouts and the Dinosaucers wanted Allo to remain. No one else could do the job as well as he could. Still, it was hard to forget that event. Tricero took his friend's silence as reluctant agreement.

"Allo, can't you see that you're being too narrow-minded on these issues because you're so close to Justin?! Your over-protectiveness and fear of losing him is leading you to misjudgment! You didn't want Justin to be a Secret Scout so that you wouldn't have to worry about the risk of him getting hurt in the war with the Tyrannos, and yet it took him being kidnapped and nearly dying for you to change your mind!! Do you want Justin's mutant powers to bring the whole Lavadome down before you snap out of your pigheadedness?!!"

Allo bristled as he growled dangerously and jadedly at the triceratops, his voice hoarse, "Shut up..."

"Just because you're Justin's father doesn't mean you always know what is best for him, Allo!!" Tricero retorted.

"Oh no, here we go," groaned Compy softly to himself as Allo roared back.

"You should be the last one to talk about raising a child, Tricero, especially considering you haven't been up to sub-par with Montacera!! Just because I have a closer relationship with Justin than you ever will with Stonebone's niece doesn't mean that I am delusional and foolish! If any Dinosaucer has been a failed parent here, it should be **you**!!!"

Tricero's eyes then became incredibly cold...and hurt. Allo was a bit taken aback to see the pain in the triceratops' eyes. Montacera then snapped at Allo, surprisingly, and startled many around them.

"Leave him alone, Allo!! That's not true, and you know it, so shut up!!"

Everyone, including Tricero, was shocked at Montacera's defense, but now, the rest of the group were very wary of how this would end. Yet nothing happened. Tricero was silent, serious, and brooding, and Allo just slumped his head down as he still remained standing. By the mother planet, he wasn't sure how much more he could take. Allo was tired of the whole thing, the argument, the shock, the worry. Then, by Murphy's Law, all the Dinosaucers' communicators attached to the front of their uniforms beeped before broadcasting the voice of a frantic Sarah.

"You guys, we have an emergency!"

Tricero looked annoyed as he touched his comm-link badge, relaying his message back to Sarah, "Sarah, we're in the middle of a meeting -"

But Sarah still remained steadfast, blurting out her finding.

"_Allo, Justin's missing!!_"

"What?!" snapped Allo, alarmed and furiously outraged.

"He's gone! I searched everywhere, and I tried using the Lavadome surveillance and my ring to see if I could locate him!! He's not on the Lavadome grounds! I think he ran away!!" panted Sarah.

**Author's note: Next chapter is the one everyone has been waiting for, especially Red Witch! Justin finally meets the Misfits!**

**Justin (deadpanned): Is there any point hoping that the Misfits will not react in the same way everyone else in my life has reacted before?**

**Hmmmmm...nope.**

**Justin: I hate you...so much.**

**Actually, since you asked so nicely, I had a change of heart!**

**Justin: Funny considering how you haven't had a change in your status for insanity for yet...**

**Quiet you! In the next chapter, though the Misfits and the handlers will run into Justin, ONE of them will be "immune" to Justin's status quo! Yep, you heard me Misfit fans! One of them will NOT try to kill Justin! Can you guess which one? It's not too hard...it's a bit obvious if you think about it. Until then, review and if you have a guess, post it! I want to see if any one of you readers can guess who the "lucky" person is!**

**Justin: You have a very warped sense of luck...**


	8. Misfits’ Madness

**Author's notes: Just wanted to hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! Ugh, now I'm so full of turkey…**

**Allo: you're full of a lot of things…**

**Quiet you. Now let's see who is the lucky Misfit or Misfit-handler who is "immune" to Justin's status quo!**

**CHAPTER 8: Misfits' Madness**

Justin couldn't help it. The tears kept coming, no matter how hard he tried to willfully remain steadfast and stoic. No matter what, Justin couldn't suppress the sadness he felt at leaving the only home that gave him happy memories. Yet what choice was there? Justin felt it was better this way. No sense in endangering Ryan, the Secret Scouts, or Allo and the Dinosaucers with his mutant powers. But what was the most painful was the thought of the Dinosaucers no longer wishing for Justin to stay with them, for rejecting him. Even though they never said it, Justin could sense the fear. It just hurt, thinking that this family was different and that for once in his miserable life, there was hope for something good, that there was the hope he wouldn't be an outcast and an exile ever again. That was why Justin felt it was best to run away. No sense in waiting until the Dinosaucers rejected him first.

Already, he was grateful for the windbreaker and the new tennis shoes Bronto-Thunder and Tricero gave to him. It made the journey across the desert a lot easier, and judging by it wouldn't be long before the Dinosaucers would discover that he was missing, Justin needed to put as much distance between himself and the Dinosaucer base as possible. Of course, that was only assuming the Dinosaucers would even _want_ him back. That was why he only took a small duffel bag of a few choice clothes and a few bottles of water. No sense in being hampered with too much luggage. Justin didn't even take his Secret Scout ring with him, symbolically abandoning it on his desk in his room. Even though it would have been safer and handy to have it, Justin knew that it was practically a homing beacon for Allo and the others to track him down whenever they could locate on the ring's radio signal.

Despite the heat of the sand, the icy grip of cold sorrow refused to lessen in the pit of Justin's stomach. There was nothing else he would wish for except that he could just go back and somehow, things would be all right. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be possible. There was no way things would ever be back to normal, to the way they once were.

Suddenly, Justin heard voices in the distance, and they sounded like they were coming from a large group of people. His breath catching in his throat, Justin managed to duck for cover behind a huge sand dune, hiding himself from view. As the voices got closer and closer, Justin got more and more nervous. He just prayed that they wouldn't spot him, or else he'd be in real trouble. Yet, this was certainly suspicious. Why would a bunch of people come into the middle of a vast desert within the Montana mountains in the brunt of nowhere? He could just make out the conversation emerging from the mysterious gaggle of people, picking up a harmonious plethora of men, women, and surprisingly, children.

"Anything yet, Trinity?" asked a woman.

Three girl voices replied in unison, and Justin had to admit hearing them in sync sounded quite eerie, "No, our scanners can't pick up anything in this desert. Nothing can be detected."

"Wait a minute!" snapped a teenager girl's voice, and after a few moments of scuffling…

"Hey, give that back!" protested one of the three voices earlier.

The teenager groaned loudly, "I knew it! You weren't scanning for the Dinosaucers!! You three were trying to play 'Tetris' on this stupid thing!! No wonder we haven't found anything within the past hour!!"

Justin's heart stopped at that sentence. They knew about the Dinosaucers?!

"Hey, we were bored!" snapped another girl of the three called Trinity.

A deep man's voice, husky yet whimsical, then said, "It wouldn't have mattered anyway. If the Dinosaucers are as smart as they say, we'd have no chance of finding where their secret base lays. A cloaking device, an anti-teleportation shield, and defensive weaponry all around! Even though we're not going to fight them, I'm pretty sure the Dinosaucers want to hide themselves from humans, all safe and sound!"

Justin had to stifle a chuckle from hearing this adult trying to rhyme his sentence fragments.

"Well, that would explain why we weren't able to transport into the middle of the desert. Our Mass Device sensors were unable to plot coordinates directly smack-dab into the terrain. Something is blocking our Mass Device. That's why we had to settle for teleporting to the edge of the desert and making headway through on our feet," another adult mused.

"I just hope they'll be friendly enough to give us a chance to speak to them," commented another male worriedly.

"Despite what that fool Cliffton says, I think they will, Lance," a deep yet calm voice spoke up, "if we can show to the Dinosaucers that we mean no threat to them and that we are sincerely trying to protect them from Eddington and Cobra, then there's no reason for the Dinosaucers to distrust us. They are probably all open-minded enough to see that Cliffton does not speak for all of those in the military, and if they are truly benevolent, then they will be able to sense the same in us."

Cliffton?! Cliffton was involved in this?! Even though he was rarely mentioned, the other Secret Scouts told Justin of how Major Cliffton had a personal vendetta in exposing the Dinosaucers and capturing them for the government. Then if Cliffton was involved, that meant the people Justin heard were from the United States army.

"Pietro!!" screamed another female teenager, this one full of raging annoyance and temperamental frustration, and a minute later, there was the sound of girlish screaming and scuffling, as if something or someone was being pounded into the sand multiple times.

"Yeow! Ooh! Ouch! Mercy, mercy! Yeow! Wanda – ow - can't – owie - you take – yargh – a –eek – a joke?!! OW!! Not the hair! **_Not the hair!!_** AAAA!!"

"Putting a handful of sand in the back of my pants is **_NOT_** funny!!" screamed the voice as the sounds of the beating continued, "Do you have **any** idea how long I'm going to be feeling it ride up my butt, you jerk?!!"

"Well, considering you act like something's riding up your butt 24-7, anyways…"

"**_DIE!!!_**" and several seconds later, there was an agonized squeal.

"Ouch…that's gotta hurt," commented an adult nearby, and Justin could almost picture the man wincing.

"I suppose having sand _in the back_ of your pants is less irritating than having an entire hexed **cactus **shoved _in your front_," another female teenager commented, this one kinder and more soothing, like a gentle flower or tranquil butterfly.

"Pietro does know you're going to have to dig out those cactus spikes with a needle, right, Lina?" a baritone voice, thick with a Texan accent, asked.

"If he doesn't, he will soon."

"Didn't Lifeline teach you to use tweezers instead in cases like this though, Lina? Because it's less painful?" asked a third person.

"I could…but I want to get back at Pietro for lacing the bandages and latex gloves with poison oak in the infirmary last week," the girl snickered.

Justin had a funny look on his face as he eavesdropped; it was as if these soldiers were the reincarnation of "The Three Stooges"…only wackier. Suddenly, the first female teenager from earlier called out in a warning command.

"Everyone, hold it!!"

There was a deathly pause.

"Yo, what's wrong, honey? Why'd you call out?"

"I sense someone is nearby, really close! And it isn't one of us!"

Uh-oh…

"Wavedancer's right, I can sense it too!" a man confirmed with suspicion and caution.

"Everyone, fan out!"

Cripes, Justin had to move fast. Even though it wasn't part of his plan to run away, Justin needed to get back to the Lavadome and warn the other Dinosaucers. Yet before Justin could even move, he heard a sudden snarl to his left and Justin saw nothing but stars as a huge amount of pain in his midsection exploded as he went flying and landed heavily in the sand. Groaning, Justin held his stinging stomach as he groggily sat up. To his horror, out of thin air materialized a lizard-like human. He had a slim build, almost feminine, yet the lizard looked incredibly dangerous and strong, his build wired with tough green scales and a yellow underbelly similar to Plateo's coloring. The individual also had yellow, snake-like eyes, stringy black hair reaching to his shoulders, and wicked claws on his hands and feet along with a snarling mouth edged with teeth. Justin whimpered. What was this thing?!

"Die, you miscreant!" snarled the lizard person as he pounced on Justin. Gasping, Justin dodge-rolled to the right at the last second, but he wasn't quick enough to avoid Xi's claws. With a yelp, Justin gingerly held his slashed shoulder, now sporting four parallel, bloody gashes amidst the torn jacket. The lizard seemed even more furious that he missed and was about to strike again when suddenly, a figure leapt in front and stopped him.

"Xi, stop this!! What has gotten into you?! Stand down!" commanded a baritone voice sternly.

Justin looked up in surprise. There, blocking Xi bravely, was an African American man and wearing a black, leather trench-coat, black pants, and wearing black shades. In his left hand, he was carrying a white cane with a red handle. Even though Justin could not clearly see his face, the man was impressively built which was apparent underneath the clothing.

"Blind Master, let me kill him!! He must die!!" snarled Xi, the lizard man as he tried to circumvent the man, but with a powerful sweep, the man knocked Xi off his feet and sent him onto his back, landing painfully on the sand. **Blind** Master? Justin then looked at the cane and the shades before he realized that the man could not see. The man then turned towards Justin, and the adolescent was astonished that the adult could act and focus his attention directly at him, as if he really could see what was going on. If Xi never mentioned his name, Justin would have never guessed that the guy was sightless.

"Are you all right, young one?" he asked, concerned. Stunned, Justin could not answer, his eyes wide and his face white. The stranger was actually _worried_ about him?? But then a voice called out above the sandbank.

"Blind Master, what's going on??" Startled, Justin turned around to see the most peculiar group of soldiers he had ever seen. None of them were dressed in stereotypical army apparel, but then again, a normal army faction would not include women and children. The group was certainly an eyeful. There was a bearded sailor with dark-brown hair complete with the white naval hat and next to him was another tall African American with a shaved head and wearing military pants and tank top and carrying a heavy machine gun and bullet-sash. A tall, gorgeous woman with short, chestnut-brown hair and wearing a lambskin jacket was standing next to a tall, hulking blond man wearing red goggles and carrying a sniper rifle. Justin could not even see the soldier's eyes behind the crimson lens. There was even a tall Native American with long hair of raven feathers, dressed in clothing and boots made with brown deer-hide and a feathered headband and with a wicked Bowie knife sheathed around his waist. Yet what got Justin's attention was the group of teenagers standing by the adults, and despite his time with the Dinosaucers, Justin could have honestly thought that he had never seen such an odd sight.

In the very front of the group was a Caucasian girl of average height with long black hair containing neon-blue highlights and wearing a brown leather jacket and fingerless, black leather gloves. From the way she was standing so confidently in front of the group, Justin naturally assumed she was the leader. Next to her was a slightly shorter boy who was squatting like a…well, like a frog, and he even had the complexion of one with a pointed face, waxy, pale skin and a mess of sickly tan hair. The boy was wearing a black outfit with a gold bandanna tied around his forehead and appeared to also be carrying some sort of wooden staff strapped to his back. A tall, striking, well-built teen stood alongside with a brown mullet, cut face, and wearing a gold headband across his forehead along with a red and black suit of shiny material. There was also a gothic girl wearing a bright red trench-coat over a white tank-top, multiple silver jewelry, and shredded red jeans, and this teenage female also had black hair, but it was shaved short like a boy's and the areas below the fringe were dyed red. Next to the goth was an albino male, slimmer and a bit on the lanky side, but incredibly handsome with white hair, a blue and silver tight-fitting outfit, and a mischievous smirk as wide as the East Coast. A set of three identical girls, obviously triplet sisters, wearing pink and purple battle outfits and high-tech equipment were also gaping at Justin, and Justin noted that they were younger than the rest of the group, could hardly be more than ten or eleven years of age. All were exactly identical in face, shoulder length black hair and body structure except one girl wore a black ponytail on her right side of her head, another wore a ponytail on her _left_ side, and the third girl had two sets of pigtails on both sides of her head. Also nearby was another girl, but Justin could have immediately guessed she was a mutant from her outside appearance. She had dark skin yet bobbed, curly hair so blond, it was nearly white, with a pair of antenna on her forehead, transparent dragonfly wings on her back, and green eyes with no retinas. A huge, incredibly obese and tall male stood next to her, sporting a blond Mohawk and huge, puppy-dog like, brown eyes, and from the way he was protectively draping a hand over the dragonfly-girl's shoulders, it was apparent the hulking blob cared for her very much.

For several seconds, the Secret Scout just stared at the set of strangers.

Justin at first was in such awe from seeing them that he didn't realize what was coming until he saw each and every one of their stupefied gazes melt away into seething rage and anger…exactly like every stranger had done before in his past. Justin gasped in dread and fear.

"Oh no…" he stuttered as he nervously tried to back away. It might still not be too late to run. The blind man, fortunately, was still talking calmly talking to the terrified adolescent, trying to soothe him.

"It's all right young one! Do not be afraid! We're not going to hurt you, we're good people -" but the rest of what the Blind master had to say was immediately lost as Wanda, emitting a scream of rage, sent a huge surge of blue hex energy directly at Justin. Unable to move, Justin felt the hex strike him directly in the chest, sending him back flying thirty feet before he landed painfully on his side, his heart stopping momentarily. Justin, overcome with immense pain, curdled into a fetal position, groaning. Blind Master was beside himself with anger.

"Scarlet Witch, what are you doing?!!" Blind Master demanded before turning to Shipwreck, Spirit, Cover girl, Roadblock, and Low Light, "What's going on? Why aren't you doing anything?!!"

Roadblock then said fiercely, "Very well, then…Misfits…**_KILL HIM!!!_**"

Blind Master couldn't be more horrified.

His heart now pounding again rapidly against his rib cage, Justin just looked up in shock at the words Roadblock ordered. This was not good. Even though Justin escaped from mobs before, it was only by the skin of his teeth and because the Secret Scouts helped him. This time, he was alone with a horde of soldiers and mutants. He had to get away. Now.

Before Justin could even move, there was a swift rush of wind next to him before the adolescent felt the side of his face explode in pain. A split-second later, Justin felt another blow strike him in the shoulder. Then a third burst of agony emerged from his back. In a matter of ten seconds, Justin was sporting painful red and black bruises from a multiple of blows and kicks so fast, Justin could not even see where they were coming from. Breathing heavily, Justin looked up to see the white-haired albino glaring at him hatefully before he disappeared again, and immediately, Justin was lifted off his feet by a cyclone (due to Pietro running around him at super-sonic speeds) of churning air and sand and sent flying, only to land again in a tangled heap on the sand.

While Quicksilver was busy incapacitating Justin, Scarlet Witch readied another barrage of hex bolts and Avalanche summoned his power of geological manipulation to send a tidal wave of sand to come crushing down on Justin. Wavedancer, unable to locate a source of water, immediately sprang into action with Toad and Xi, rushing in amazingly strategic formation, running towards the disoriented Justin with knife, staff, and claws ready for heavy damage. Trinity then joined hands as their eyes turned completely white, levitating a good distance off the sandy terrain.

"_Destroy the half-breed!_" the triplets chanted as one, "_Kill the demon child! Eliminate the scourge of all that is holy!_" With that, the three girls sent a huge blitz of white, psychic lightning from their auras, only to come hurtling down towards Justin. With an immense attack coming from three sides, Justin was doomed.

"NO!!" cried out Blind Master as he was about to sprint forward, but then Justin screamed in pain again as he clutched his head. With the fear, terror, and pain coursing through his body, it was only natural that another telltale headache would happen.

"Stop it! Make it stop! Please, leave me alone!!" the brown-haired teenager pleaded in excruciating torment as he shut his eyes so tightly, the veins popped out of his temples.

To everyone's amazement, thousands upon thousands of white auras, like tranquil fireflies, surrounded the area before engulfing the arrows of attacks. With a brief flash, Wanda's hex-bolts and Trinity's psychic lightning vanished into thin air.

"What?!" roared Scarlet Witch.

"That isn't possible!" Low Light uttered in a combination of shock and fury. Yet with another flash, the blue energy of Wanda's hex-bolts appeared again…behind Trinity. With a rush, the hex struck the Triplets from behind, and with their attention focused on Justin, Daria, Quinn, and Brittney could only scream loudly as the energy seared into them. Breaking their concentration, Trinity released each others' hands as they plummeted to the ground none so gently, the sand luckily cushioning their landing.

"That land-lubbing son of a bitch, **I'll kill him!!!**" roared Shipwreck in the fury only a parent could ever summon as he took out his twin set of Eagle-pistols. Yet Justin's unintentional intervention wasn't finished yet. Before the gigantic wave of earth and sand could crush Justin, with a soft gleaming noise, the seismic energy dissipated, and with no more of the driving force to guide it, the mountain collapsed and fell heavily and lifelessly to the terrain, several meters away from Justin. With another _whirr_ noise, a circle of white sparks danced across a sand dune in front of the G.I. Joe Misfit handlers, and with a large roar, an explosion of sand rushed immediately towards them instead.

"Avalanche, stop this! You're supposed to kill the vagabond!!" Spirit shouted.

Avalanche confessed helplessly and confused, "It's not me! It's him! The good-for-nothing somehow managed to reflect my attacks back at you!!"

Without further hesitation, Cover Girl, Low Light, Spirit, Shipwreck, and Roadblock managed to leap clear of the seismic wave, narrowly missing them by mere inches as it crashed and crumbled into a huge pile of dirt. Had they remained there for several seconds more, all five of them would have been buried alive. Blind Master then realized the truth…the child was a mutant.

Angered, Avalanche tried to create another tremor again, but the flashing, twinkling sparks were not done yet. With a flash, they engulfed Toad's wooden bo staff and Wavedancer's knife from their hands.

"Hey!!" cried out Althea.

"What the -?!!" Todd cried out.

With another flash, the knife and staff materialized in front of Avalanche and flew straight like arrows. Thinking fast, Lance rolled to the side, the knife whizzing by his shoulder close enough to cause a rip through the material of his clothing. However, the bo staff shot directly at Lance and smacked him soundly in the middle of the forehead. Groaning, Lance rolled his eyes and toppled into the sand, unconscious. Wanting revenge, Xi and Toad charged to barrel Justin with their physical ninja skills, but Wavedancer gasped as she sensed something in the air building up in front of them.

"Stop you guys! Stop!" But it was too late for either Toad or Xi to take heed of the warning. In three separate groups, a flurry of tiny, white, sparkling whirlpools emerged again in front of Justin, and Althea immediately realized where Trinity's psychic attack disappeared to. With a crackling roar, the white strands of electric energy shot out from the three whirlpools, and though Xi was quick enough to narrowly dodge the energy blot, Todd wasn't and it struck him directly in the chest, rampaging his mind with hot intensity. Althea somersaulted away from the third burst, but unfortunately, it went past her and headed directly for Fred, Lina, and Pietro. Pietro ran out of the way, but the bolt was heading straight past him and directly at Lina. Lina shrieked, too paralyzed too move. Fred then got in front of the dragonfly-girl, shielding her and accepting the psychic attack in full force. Both Toad and Blob fell to their knees, screaming in pain as the mental assault temporarily left them disoriented.

"Fred!" cried out Lina as she knelt by the mutant, but then she raised her head to shoot Justin a poisonous look, calling out to her friend, "Wavedancer, give that jerk payback in spades!!"

"I've got a shot," said Low Light calmly as he readied his black sniper-rifle, the cross-hairs directly on the spot above Justin's left eyebrow, the no-reaction zone. He pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened. Confused, Low Light tried again, and all he heard was an empty _click_. His brow furrowed, the solider snapped open his bullet chamber to find that it was empty.

"What the hell?!" Low Light cursed to himself, but a telltale flash in front of him made him realize what happened as the twinkling materialized the sniper bullets, dropping them lifelessly onto the sand. And it was not only Low Light's sniper bullets…

"Hey! My guns are empty!!" shouted Shipwreck as he tried to shoot his dual Eagles.

"So is mine!" Roadblock shouted.

Then, as mysteriously as they came, the mass of white dust and miniature lights faded away gently. Now there was no trace of anything protecting Justin as the Secret Scout's headache lessened its pounding. Justin was so busy concentrating on his pain, he didn't even realize what was happening just moments ago. Cover Girl saw her chance as she took out her knife from her boot, and Spirit followed suit.

Wordlessly, both Cover Girl and Spirit hurled their knives through the air. As marksmen, their blades would hit their target, and they whizzed through the air with deadly accuracy and speed.

_Clack, clack!_

At the noise, still breathing heavily, Justin looked up in awe as the Misfits and the G.I. Joe soldiers looked down in betrayed disbelief. The knives Cover Girl and Spirit threw were embedded in the sand, unable to hit their target as Blind Master stood in front of Justin, in a defensive martial stance and his brow furrowed. It was Blind Master that blocked the knives with his cane and stopped them from striking the teenager.

"Sensei?" gasped Wavedancer in shock.

"**_STOP THIS!!_**" Blind Master commanded sharply as he readied his cane in his hand for automatic defense. Justin was shocked at the sight of the man who was willingly shielding him. So were the Misfits and the handlers.

"Get out of the way! He has to be killed!!" snarled Spirit, red in the face, the veins in his head twitching.

"What is wrong with you?! Why are you trying to kill him?!! You're attacking him for no reason!! This isn't like you, people!! You're being consumed by hate and anger!! I can sense it! Please, stop this!" Blind Master shouted boldly.

"He attacked us! He deserves to die!!" screamed Scarlet Witch in unmeasured fury.

"Why the hell are you taking his side?!" roared Roadblock.

"He's just a child!" reasoned Blind Master stubbornly, "It wasn't his fault!! He never intended it to happen!! He's not in control of his powers! Even I can see that! And the only reason you got attacked was because you struck the first blow! The boy was only defending himself and reflecting the weapons you threw at him in the first place!! So stop this! Please, for God's sake, he's innocent!!"

"The kid must have Blind Master under some kind of mind control!" shouted Cover Girl.

Low Light snarled, "Then I'll make him let go!! One way or another!"

Whimpering, now completely scared beyond all reason, Justin immediately dashed away from the group, running as fast as he could. But he wasn't fast enough, for immediately, Quicksilver managed run over to grab Justin, halting him instantly in a bear hug. Blind Master, distracted, tried to leap after Pietro, but then by a combination of Wanda's hex-bolts and Fred's strength, the ninja master found himself stunned to the sandy ground before he too was picked up and imprisoned in a tight bear hug by Blob. The brute strength was crushing him, nearly breaking his arms, as Blind Master winced and struggled against the grip Blob had on him. Yet he couldn't get free.

"I am sorry, my friend," Spirit said coldly as he passed by, "but it is for your own good."

"Let me go!" whined Justin, pleading, as he tried to sunfish out of Pietro's grip. Meanwhile, Low Light immediately transformed his body into hard, clear diamond. Being a genetic experiment for Cobra in his past, Low Light had the mutant ability to transform his flesh and body into _any_ matter, whether it was gaseous, solid, energy, or liquid. Just one, well-aimed punch, and Justin would die from a severe skull fracture. Toad, ready for some payback readied his amphibian tongue before spewing out an acidic slime-mass the size of a basketball directly at Justin's head, the goop so deadly and caustic, it could dissolve steel in a matter of seconds.

"No!" cried Justin as he winced, seeing Low Light raising a fist directly at his head and the ball of slime coming directly at him. Yet, once again, by miraculous intervention, the slime-ball vanished in a bright, white blaze before being teleported directly into Low Light's face, splattering upon impact. Low Light yelled in pain as he tried to wipe the acid off him; being in diamond form, the pain was luckily mild and the situation was not as worse as it could have been. Now hesitant to throw any projectile at the teenager, Althea, Toad, Xi, and Lina all rushed directly at Justin, their fists ready to connect to the Secret Scout's body. Justin knew he couldn't keep this up.

On cue, another surprise occurred. The white, twinkling sparks appeared again, but _this time_, they completely surrounded Justin's body, encasing every inch of the boy with an outline of silver dust. To Pietro's horror, he no longer could grip Justin as the lights disappeared, taking Justin with them. Justin had vanished out of Pietro's hold and into thin air…in the split-second before Wavedancer, Toad, Dragonfly, and Xi's fists passed right through the space where Justin was and struck Quicksilver directly in the chest. Needless to say, Pietro was down for the count.

"Wha-?! Where'd he go?!!" Lina gasped.

The answer came when the Misfit adults turned to see Justin fall out of the sky and awkwardly on top of Blob himself, madly and awkwardly scrabbling on the giant leviathan's back and shoulders. Justin was amazed. How the heck did he move like that?

"Hey, gerroff me!!" yelled Blob thickly as he released his hold on the Blind Master and managed to grab Justin by the collar of his windbreaker painfully, holding the teen a good five feet off the ground. Yet Blob was no longer holding the Blind Master, and it was the moment the ninja was waiting for. Taking a smoke bomb out off his pocket, the G.I. Joe threw it hard on the ground, causing it to release a huge plume of thick, black, charcoal-smelling smoke in seconds with a bang. Startled, Blob started coughing, his eyes watering, and so did Justin. The smoke was stinging his eyes, burning like pepper, and causing the skin around them to swell. But then Justin felt himself being snatched out of Blob's vise-like grip and being carried out of the smoke-screen. Sputtering, Justin managed to see it was the blind solider as the black man set Justin down hurriedly.

"What -?"

"Run!" Blind Master commanded.

"But – but why are you helping -?"

"Damn it, get out of here! Go!" But it was too late as a cascade of bullets ripped through the smoke, and Justin felt the G.I. Joe solider tackle him to the ground, taking cover. Blind Master then hissed in pain as he shielded Justin with his body, and the teenager was petrified upon seeing the blood run out of the sleeve of the man's leather coat and run down his wrist. There was another blossoming spot of blood staining his right side, glistening his shirt. Justin, whimpering with guilt, managed to drag himself out from underneath the man's weight and tried to have Blind Master use his body as a lean-to. Justin then realized that the smoke screen had faded and the remaining Misfits and the G.I. Joe soldiers were glaring at the both of them coldly. Roadblock reloaded his machine gun.

"Kill them both," he said emotionlessly.

"Fine with me!" Shipwreck said as he aimed while Wanda readied another surge of hex energy. It was over. Even if Justin could run off, he would never get far before the bullets and attacks struck him. And he couldn't leave behind the man who tried to protect him. Blind Master was panting heavily, considerably injured, and there was no way the ninja could fight all of them.

"No, don't hurt him!" pleaded Justin as he held on tightly to Blind Master. This was too much. Now Justin just wished he was back home. He wished he was back at the Lavadome.

That was the last thought in Justin's mind as Roadblock, Shipwreck, and Wanda fired.

---

"I swear…when I find my son, I'll hug him **first**, and **then** I'll ground him until the next ice age!" raged Allo for the umpteenth time as he, the Secret Scouts and the Dinosaucers prepared to start their search across the desert for Justin.

"Gee, why not just put his room under lockdown and behind a reinforced wall with barbed wire and a pack of guard dogs while you're at it?" Compy drawled deadpanned as he hefted his shoulder-pack.

"Don't think I didn't think of that, smart-mouth," snapped Allo back in irritation before he turned his attention to Sarah.

"Sarah, where's Ryan? Why isn't he here with us?" the Dinosaucer asked the female Secret Scout. Sarah reluctantly told the truth.

"He didn't want to come. I'm sorry, Allo."

Allo shook his head sadly. He should have known better than to accept Ryan's word that everything was all right, and had there been time, Allo would have tried finding out why Ryan was so resentful of Justin. Even during the party, the allosaurus could tell Ryan was incredibly moody and distant, especially around the teen. He could honestly say he was not angry with Ryan, but rather, he was disappointed and worried, like a father always was whenever there is a painful fight between his two children. Allo then made the promise that when things settled down, he would have a thoughtful talk with Ryan. Tricero and Bronto-Thunder were giving orders.

"We'll split into four teams, each one going into a different direction, and as such, we'll be able to cover all four points of the desert, going north, east, south and west," Tricero said, "I'll lead Struthio and Itchy, going north."

Bronto-Thunder then added, "I'll be going west with Montacera and Stego and Compy."

Tricero then continued, "Allo will head south with Raptor and Dimetro. Teryx will take Plato and Bonehead. Sarah, David, Paul, you three will fly on your hover-bikes and -"

Suddenly, the air around them again was covered with millions and millions of familiar white embers, illuminating the desert with a soft glow and interrupting Tricero from the rest of his ramblings. Stunned, everyone just stared at the scene in awe. As one, they began to converge and join together, swirling into a huge orb of light, like the eye of a hurricane.

"It…it couldn't be…Justin??" Plateo asked dumbly, not sure what to expect.

On cue, the light faded and out of the orb fell two lifeless figures, landing heavily on the sand. Allo immediately recognized one of the figures.

"Justin!" the patron gasped with dread, fearing the worst, as he and the rest of the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts, abandoning their packs, rushed forward at the two. Raptor and Struthio reached Justin first, and one could notice the look of fear and worry on Raptor's usual cold face.

"I smell blood," he said roughly, and Struthio's eyes widened as Dimetro managed to gently pick up and cradle Justin in his arms, examining him.

"By the mother planet, he's wounded!! And as for the blood, Justin's clothes are smeared with it!"

"But he's conscious…barely," exhaled Dimetro in slight relief, "But by Reptilion! Deep lacerations, slight burns, swollen eyes, ripped clothing…!"

"And the kid's got a nasty bruise on his face," whistled Compy, "Must have been a heck of a haymaker!"

"But the good news is though…it's not Justin's blood! I see no other wounds other than the ones on his shoulder! Young one! Justin! It's me, Dimetro! Justin, please, wake up!"

"What on Earth happened?!" gasped Sarah as she knelt down next to her friend.

Justin managed to cough, still disoriented, "I was attacked…"

Allo's eyes then became glazed with insane fury as he turned his attention to the stranger lying alongside. He, too, was still alive. Teryx placed a hand on Allo's shoulders, trying to calm him.

"Allo…"

The Dinosaucer leader quickly stood up.

"Allo, wait!! Don't jump to conclusions!! Allo, stop!"

Those voices…they were not of the Misfits or of the handlers. That was as much as the Blind Master could discern as he groggily tried to prop himself up on his elbows, his mouth dry and cottony. Unfortunately, he was too dizzy and in pain from his wounds to tell what was happening.

"What did you do to Justin?! What the hell did you do to my son?!!" roared a bass voice from above him, and before Blind Master could react, he felt himself violently hurled onto his back, the pain cutting through his dizziness like a razor.

The Blind Master then felt something heavy gripping him by the shirt front and pinning him down at the same time. Though unable to view upon the matter, the ninja could sense that this creature was not earthly, feeling the Dinosaucer's hot breath, angry beyond comprehension, wade down heavily on his face. He could also perceive the scaled claws powerfully pulsating with the heartbeat, ready to tear him into pieces if he ever made an unwarranted move, and despite the stillness of the tense moment, the black G.I. Joe soldier was aware of the hulking form of the alien pinning him down, could feel the breathing of the crowd watching not too far off. All this, he took within his mind's eye, and realizing what was going on, the Blind Master just prepared himself as Allo snarled at him, twitching.

"If you don't talk, **I will kill you!!!**"

**Author's notes: Well, things certainly look bleak, folks! Will Allo kill Blind Master? Will the Dinosaucers be able to escape the clutches of the military, Eddington, and Cliffton? Will Ryan ever stop his attitude problem? Will Justin and the Dinosaucers ever find out what's going on with the Misfits? Find out next Friday in the chapter, "The Sight Of The Blind Master".**

**Justin: You must think this author is a nutcase, don't you?**

**Blind Master: Actually, considering who I normally work with…Red Witch could actually make things worse if she ever decided to write about you and the Dinosaucers.**

**Allo: That is ONE thing I'm thankful for…it hasn't happened yet!!**

**Everyone: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!**


	9. The Sight Of The Blind Master

**CHAPTER 9: The Sight Of The Blind Master**

"Dad, stop!! Please!! Don't hurt him!!" yelled Justin, and barely managing to break out of Dimetro's grip, he rushed over and placed his hands on his father's colossal claws, vainly trying to pull them back. "Don't hurt him!! He saved me from the mutants that were attacking me!! He protected me!!!"

"What?!" gasped David, "There are mutants close by?!!"

"Who are they?! Who are the mutants?!! Is it the X-Men?! Magneto?!" Tricero demanded urgently as hushed and nervous muttering broke throughout the crowd. But it was Blind Master who answered calmly, well, as calmly as one could answer with a gigantic allosaurus towering over him.

"No, it is not them. They are the Misfits, mutants serving the G.I. Joe military unit."

Paul narrowed his eyes in deep thought. He said in astonished realization, "I **thought** you looked familiar! You're a G.I. Joe soldier! I remember seeing you when Hector Rameriez did that special TV interview with G.I. Joe about mutant soldiers in the American military! You're one of the men and women who adopted the orphans known as 'The Brotherhood' and trained them to be a freedom force for the American army!!"

"The **army**?! He's from the army?!!" Struthio asked with horror.

"Then that means…we've been discovered!" gasped Teryx as she held her hands to her mouth in fright. This was certainly disastrous. The Dinosaucers were being tracked down by mutants trained under the army, and even if they did manage to fight them off, it wouldn't be long before the American government and armed forces would discover the Lavadome base and hunt them down. The Dinosaucers could not possibly relocate this quickly, and even if they did, their exposure would be damning, forever marking them as targets to the human public. Raptor then growled a solution.

"Correction: we would _only_ be discovered if this soldier manages to return back and report his findings to his superiors."

Struthio yelled at the velociraptor, aghast, "Raptor, this is a human! We can't kill a human being!!"

"Kill or be killed, Struthio. And this human is a **soldier**."

"Gee, no surprise a Tyrannos like yourself would have no problem with that! After all, after killing so many innocent dinosaurs, what's one human more or less?!!" snapped Compy, obviously disagreeing with the black Dinosaucer.

"Back off, Compy! For the sake of Reptilion, can't you ever shut up?!!" yelled Struthio.

"Raptor is correct, young one," Plateo surmised before Struthio could further protest, "Human or not, if we let the soldier walk free, he would surely report his discovery to the government, and then we would all be truly in danger! None of us would be able to hide so readily without being chased by the military! We would be hunted, trapped, assassinated, or even used as laboratory experiments, as specimen guinea pigs, if it was discovered that we even existed. Raptor has a logical basis…one we must take seriously!"

"Plato, NO!!" This came from the tearful Justin as he turned his head to face the green plateosaurus behind him, all the meanwhile still trying to pry his father's claws off the Blind Master.

Justin pleaded, "You can't kill him! He protected me when the mutants attacked me, and because of it, he got hurt!! It's my fault he got injured, and he had to fight against his friends just to make sure they wouldn't touch me!! He's not evil!"

"But we cannot surely let him walk away! We cannot be sure if we can trust him to stay quiet about our secret!" argued Plateo.

"But the soldier stood up against the mutants to fight for me, and he didn't join them when they tried to kill me!! He saved my life! Doesn't that show he _can_ be trusted?!"

Itchy then said suspiciously, "Justin, it could be a clever ruse, a trick to gain your trust and see if you would lead him to our headquarters before he turns on you and betrays you!! Or it could be the fact that he's a mutant too, trying to fool you with some sort of telepathic power or something!"

David then said, "Actually, I don't think so, Itchy! I have to agree with the kid here on this one! This guy seems pretty genuine, and even though he's from the army, he's not like all the other jerks who've tried to make Justin's life a living hell! That gets a few points in my book!"

By now, it seemed like everyone else was arguing and offering their viewpoints and opinions loudly, the shock of having another human discover their secret making them jumpy and chaotic. Both the Secret Scouts and the Dinosaucers were shouting at each other over the din, wildly trying to come up with a solution…until Allo bellowed, already at his end.

"**_ENOUGH!!!_**" The roar was sharp enough to cut through the quarrel and forceful enough to echo through the desert, making the very foundation of the Lavadome base tremble slightly. Both Justin and the Blind Master winced at the piercing pain in their eardrums from the shout that could only be measured in the decibel scale. Ryan then emerged out of the Dinosaucers' base, confused and puzzled at the sudden yell.

"Hey, what's going on?!!" Ryan then did a double take, upon seeing the injured Justin and the Blind Master.

"What happened??" he asked, his eyebrows crinkled in shock. Both Sarah and David shot Ryan a dirty look as Sarah accused her brother disdainfully.

"I'm surprised you even had the decency to care, Ryan."

"Sarah, this is **not** the time," chastised Paul gently as he then started to explain to his friend in the background as everyone else then watched Justin beg to Allo, trying to reason with his still livid father.

"Dad, please, if nothing else, at least give Blind Master the chance to tell his side of the story! I owe him that much! Please, Dad! I trust him! He wasn't the one who hurt me! And I don't think he'll try anything when he's wounded like this! Please, Dad!! **_Please!!!_**"

Allo still kept staring daggers at the solider in his claws as Tricero then knelt over to his leader and whispered gently in Allo's ear, "Allo…you always said you relied on Justin's judgment for other people. If you still stand-by that assertion, then let the man speak. You have nothing to lose if you do, but if you follow otherwise…do you want to repeat the mistake you made with Genghis Rex? And unlike Genghis Rex…**this** stranger **helped** your son even though he had nothing to gain from it."

Allo twitched from the reminder. After a few tense moments, which crawled by like hours, the Dinosaucer released his hold on the G.I. Joe solider, but he commanded threateningly, "Start talking."

Blind Master winced as he held his bleeding side, beads of perspiration glistening on his forehead as he sat up, the exertion being a bit strenuous for the ninja. Still, the Blind Master shot both Justin and Allo a grateful look, grunting, "Thank you."

Dimetro and Teryx then knelt down next to the African-American Misfit handler, starting to strip the warrior of his leather coat and shirt. Teryx then offered gently, "Don't move too much…we can patch you up while you tell us what in the name of Reptilion is going on and why you are here."

As the two Dinosaucers started applying medical attention to his bleeding wounds, a bare-chested Blind Master then told his story as best as he could. He explained that his real name was Gabriel Moore, a ninja trained by a guild dating back in feudal Japan and how he was a soldier in G.I. Joe, a military unit dedicated to fighting terrorist groups like Cobra and protecting human society. He also explained how the former band of teenage mutants called the Brotherhood were used as soldier pawns by Magneto, a ruthless and powerful mutant bent on the elimination of the human race for a mutant haven of superiority. The Brotherhood were also arch-enemies of the other mutant team in the town of Bayville in New York called the X-Men, but despite it, when Cobra attacked them and exposed them to the world to see, both the X-Men and Brotherhood teamed up with G.I. Joe to stop Magneto and his alliance of the Hellfire Club. Abandoned and deeply hurt from betrayal, all members of the Brotherhood were adopted by G.I. Joe, and General Hawk assigned several G.I. Joe soldiers as surrogate parents for the Brotherhood who then named themselves the mutant freedom force, the Misfits. It was not a hard transition for Shipwreck, one of the soldiers chosen, had five mutant children, with the eldest being a girl named Althea who leads the Misfits, and none of the G.I. Joes were bigoted for they have dealt with mutants, ghosts, genetic experiments, and even had a few former Cobra soldiers join on the side of good. So dealing with mutant teenagers was nothing out of the ordinary of the life of a G.I. Joe soldier. Though it took much work and trust, in time, the Misfits grew to love their new lives and loved deeply their adoptive parents, realizing how wrong Magneto and his minions were about the cruelty of all humans.

Blind Master then explained about each member of the Misfits individually and their handlers, giving each mutant and G.I. Joe soldier a brief profile and what abilities they all had. The Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts learned about the histories of Shipwreck, Low Light, Cover Girl, Spirit, Roadblock, Wavedancer, Toad, Avalanche, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Xi, Dragonfly, Blob, and Trinity. They also learned about their recent history with the X-Men and how, though G.I. Joe and the Misfits would always be their allies for support, things were a bit tense between the two mutant teams due to a huge blowout revolving around Bobby Drake and Lance Alvers.

Then, finally, Blind Master explained why he and the Misfits were here along with who had sent them. Justin had to add his own testimony on what had happened, and how Blind Master was the only one who seemed to not give in to the urge to eliminate him, though he was still vague on how exactly the Misfits' attacks were reflected back. The adolescent was still very unclear on what his mutation was and how it worked. Yet, the teenager supported everything the Blind Master told them, and even Paul, Sarah, and surprisingly, David, validated the facts that the ninja told them. Apparently, David, Sarah and Paul were all very aware and knowledgeable about the recent current events with the mutant "crisis" gripping the world, and Paul luckily remembered much from the exposé with Rameriez on the Misfits.

All this, the Dinosaucers listened with respectful silence and growing interest, but the minute Blind Master mentioned Major Cliffton, they all narrowed their eyes in annoyance. Even now, Cliffton was a touchy subject for them.

"Cliffton?!" shouted Tricero in gall, "**He's** behind this whole thing?!"

"I swear, when I get my claws on that conniving, vindictive, malicious bastard -!!" rumbled Bronto-Thunder.

"You'll what? Threaten his life while exposing yourself to the human public? March up to his headquarters in Washington D.C. and kill him while creating a new mass hysteria about invading dinosaur extraterrestrials? Honestly, the fact that all brontosaurs have a second brain never seems to do much good with your rational thinking, does it, Bronto-Thunder?" sneered Raptor, disgusted and exasperated.

The brontosaurus Dinosaucer made a fist in Raptor's face, growling lowly, "If you wanted me to give you a beating, just say the words, and I'll gladly oblige, Tyrannos!"

"Bronto-Thunder, not now!" Paul groaned.

"Oh, just let Bronto-Thunder kill Raptor!" snapped Itchy, glaring at Raptor poisonously, "We'd all be better off!"

Itchy then eyed the Blind Master suspiciously, reproaching, "Still, you and General Hawk weren't exactly brave enough to simply refuse to follow those orders, weren't you, Gabriel? It seems to me that you and the other Misfits have their own selfish agendas with meeting us, and it could be that you mutant soldiers are no different from the ones Cliffton follows! It could be you're just as bad and hypocritical as this General Eddington!"

"He has a point," admitted Montacera.

"Itchy, that's enough!" Teryx snapped, chastising, "Blind Master explained why he and the Misfits decided to follow this mission through, and if they have suspicions about their own superiors, then of course the Misfits and G.I. Joe would not wish to trust the matter in Eddington and Cliffton's hands!"

Blind Master, meanwhile, tested his arm and side by flexing as he finished drinking the canteen of water Dimetro supplied to him from his pack. Through the bullets ripped clean through of his flesh, it left messy exit wounds out of his forearm and side abdominal muscle, but Blind Master was extremely fortunate to not have the metal shrapnel lodged into his bone. There was no indication of pain in the slightest, and it was practically as good as new, though it was plainly obvious that the ninja master would have to rest and recuperate for several days before the injuries would be nonexistent.

The Blind Master nodded his thanks, saying to the dimetrodon, "It's much better now. Thank you, Dimetro."

The tech-savvy doctor smiled as he also tended to Justin's wounded shoulder. It was easy to see that this Dinosaucer liked the G.I. Joe soldier. He replied, "Though I wouldn't try anything too strenuous, the medical salve we put on your wounds is a special, liquid polymer that hardens enough to keep your injuries airtight from infection and flexible enough to allow full movement of your body. The salve also had quick healing properties that stimulates cell regeneration, so your bullet wounds will recover more readily. In other words, think of the salve as a liquid substitute for medicinal stitches. It's what we normally use to patch injuries and lacerations, including after surgery, and given our tough, leathery hides, it's sufficient enough to mend even **our** bodies."

Blind Master whistled, impressed, commenting, "Such a tool would be useful back at the Pit where G.I. Joe headquarters reside, not to mention back at the Misfit manor where we have injuries and explosions on an hourly basis."

"Explosions??" David raised an eyebrow at the remark.

"Let's just say we are not what constitutes a _normal_ family, David," Blind Master smiled as he put on his shirt.

"It's easier to say a family of freaks and mutie-lovers is anything **but** normal," Ryan muttered under his breath. Blind Master frowned as he looked directly at Ryan.

"I would think that a person who has made friends with dinosaur aliens from another planet would have a more tolerant mindset about mutants and people of their own race, Ryan Whitterson." Ryan's eyes went wide as he gaped like a fish. Sarah and David both gave Ryan a smug yet cold glare, a look that clearly said "serves you right". Allo just looked at Ryan sadly, disappointed but not angry.

"But…wha-…_you heard me_??"

"I am blind, _not_ deaf, Ryan, and even though I am not a mutant, being a ninja master has trained me to utilize my other senses far beyond normal human capacity. It is quite impressive how much the human body can cope and adapt given the circumstances." Blind Master then sighed as he turned his attention to Allo.

"So that is the reason why the Misfits and G.I. Joe are even here in the first place, Allo. I swear, on my life and honor as a warrior and ninja, I tell you the truth. None of us meant to attack your son willfully, and we are not here to capture or exterminate you or the other Dinosaucers, but to try to extend a bond of goodwill with our government. That was all we meant to achieve, what we meant to try."

Allo frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest. After deliberate thought, the allosaurus then said, "I have a hard time believing this, Blind Master. I truly do."

"**I** believe him," Justin said stoutly, convinced, while frowning at his father. Damn it, how could Allo act like this, to the person who saved his own son's life?! If Gabriel didn't do the noble thing, Justin would have died easily. And from the look of several of the other Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts, some were tempted to agree. Yet it was clear that none of them, save the naïve Justin, were eager to throw their cautions to the winds. Blind Master then decided to ask a question to Justin.

"Justin…how long have you known you were a mutant?"

"Justin, you don't need to answer that," Itchy piped up sternly, still suspicious.

The teen shivered at the reminder, clearly upset, but he managed to politely answer the ninja, "I…not for very long. It's…it's my birthday today, the day I turned sixteen. But, it was at the birthday celebration when my powers just…they just went haywire for the very first time. I don't know what I did, what I can do, and how I can stop or control it. It just…happened. I'm so sorry if I hurt your friends! Please, I didn't mean to!"

Blind Master was clearly puzzled. He asked, "Wait, young one. You…you have been living here all this time?? Amongst the Dinosaucers? Why?"

Allo then said with a defensive and resentful tone, "He's my son. Gabriel, ten years ago, Justin was nearly murdered by a mob of people from the city where he used to live, and from what I had learned, he had always been in a situation where people were physically and verbally abusive to him for no reason other than spite and cruelty. Justin was abandoned in the desert, and by a stroke of luck, he managed to wander within range of our base's surveillance. When we found him, Justin was on the brink of death, but over time, he recovered thanks to our help and intervention. Since he had no one who cared about him, I adopted Justin and ever since then, he has stayed here at the Lavadome."

"For ten years? Justin, you…you've never gone back to the city?? You never went back to visit your home? Your parents??"

"His home is **_here_**, and **_I'm_** his parent," Allo snarled, and now, everyone could hear the dangerous anger that was starting to bubble again within the Dinosaucer leader. It seemed like anything the Blind Master was saying, the allosaurus was taking to offense.

Blind Master flatly clarified, "I meant Justin's _birth_ parents, Allo."

Justin ignored his slowly-burning father as he shook his head and spoke before Allo could retort.

"No. I…I don't know who my birth parents even were. I was an orphan, and…I was alone for as long as I could remember. And every time I do go try to mingle with other people, they…well, it's like your Misfits and your friends from G.I. Joe."

Paul further elaborated, "Mr. Moore, Justin cannot interact with most people because for some unknown reason, whenever he tries, they try to hurt him and kill him. We can't tell you how many times myself and the other Secret Scouts had to rescue him from being mobbed and murdered. It's not safe for Justin to go out like that, much less on his own. You, yourself, had just witnessed this with your peers in the desert."

"That's why he's been living here, so that he'd be safe, and the Dinosaucers have been protecting him all this time. Plus, with the additional mutant disasters that have been going on in the world, you can kinda guess why Justin should stay here. If he was hated before, he'll be in bigger danger when people find out he's a mutant," Sarah added.

"Especially people like **you**," Tricero frowned.

"Leave him alone!" snapped Montacera, "By the mother planet, is it really that hard to believe that there could be some good people in the army?! People not like Cliffton?! After all, we let Raptor join up with us, and he used to be a Tyrannos!"

"Not by choice, I can tell you that," Compy muttered flatly.

"Shut your mouth, carcass-feeder," growled Raptor.

"Bite me, stink-asaur!" snapped back Compy.

"Rat fungus."

"Jackass."

"Spore!"

"Back-stabber!"

"Will you two stop, please?!" groaned Bonehead as he got in between the Dinosaucers, "Honestly, and you guys call **me** immature!"

"Shut up, Bonehead!" Raptor and Compy shouted at the pachycephalosaurus.

Blind Master, meanwhile, was taking in what he had heard. It suddenly made sense now.

"So **_that's_** why you never resurfaced again for the past ten years…" Blind Master murmured.

Stego was confused, overhearing the solider. The Dinosaucer asked dumbly, "Huh? Whaddya mean, Blind Master?"

Blind replied, "General Hawk told us that Cliffton believed that because the Dinosaucers apparently dropped out of sight without any explanation, they must have been planning a sort of doomsday mission for the planet or attempting to commit mass genocide on the entire human race like the Tyrannos have attempted before. While you and the other Dinosaucers have been hiding to keep Justin safe and from being discovered, Cliffton misinterpreted that as a sign that you were all planning a hostile takeover of the planet. That was how he was able to justify an expedition to search for you to our superiors…because our superiors were also suspicious of the same thing. If you truly were a threat to national and world security, it was best to find and eliminate you all as soon as possible."

"What?! But…but we'd never do that!!" Bonehead exclaimed.

"They don't know that…Bonehead, I believe your name is. Keep in mind that though General Hawk won't commit such acts, Eddington and Cliffton would have no problem finding others who will. And since none of the Dinosaucers have ever attempted to first reach out to our government, our superiors would of course start getting suspicious and only think of the worst."

"People fear and suspect what they do not understand," Plateo murmured sadly. Ryan felt a pang of guilt at that sentence.

Teryx then asked, "But…but then why did Eddington and Cliffton want to search for us instead of the Tyrannos?"

"Because Cliffton and Eddington were not able to locate the Tyrannos nor were they able to think that they would trust them to extend an offer for a military alliance with them. However, since Cliffton made it his life's agenda to track down the Dinosaucers, he decided it would be more fruitful if he could use the government's help in tracking you down instead. At least then, he would be able to glorify himself as the person who exposed you," Blind Master answered.

"God, what an asshole," muttered David.

"**That** is something General Hawk will agree with you on, David," Blind Master smiled before turning to Justin, saying sincerely and warmly, "And as for you, young Justin, I owe you my life. Though it was not intentional, you still wanted to stand by me and took me out of danger from the battle. You pleaded for my defense when your father thought I was the one who had assaulted you, and as such, I will not forget your kindness. Thank you."

Tears of guilt were already spilling from Justin's eyes as he miserably shook his head, sniffing, "You shouldn't be thanking me. It was my fault I got your friends mad at you, and it was my fault you got injured in the first place. If I didn't show up, the Dinosaucers wouldn't be hunted down by the military and you wouldn't have been injured fighting the Misfits. You shouldn't be thanking me. I just caused a lot of trouble, like I always do."

The Blind Master was saddened to hear those words. Even though the child was crying silently, the ninja could hear the teenager's voice threatening to crack, could feel the years of untold pain and hurt that the boy still managed to bear over his shoulders. The teenager certainly didn't deserve the torment he received as a child. Sarah then stared at Blind Master with awe.

"Actually, that's something that has been nagging me. Blind Master…why aren't **you** affected? Why didn't you act all psychotic and animalistic when you saw…uh, I mean, when you encountered Justin?"

"Yeah, I mean everyone's treated Justin like crap, and yet you're the only person, save us Secret Scouts, that could even get through that. I mean, you sure you're not a mutant?" David asked.

The African ninja shook his head, but he pondered aloud, his brow furrowing deep in thought and reason, "No, but do raise a valid point, Sarah. Though my teammates and friends did attempt to kill Justin, I could sense their feelings, their emotions, their auras…and no, it is not a mutant ability, David. Yes, I could sense you about to open your mouth to ask me, but it is a technique that only the most profound and powerful ninjas can learn and master. After all, I would not be a martial artist if I could not discern or sense things and anomalies in people."

David was clearly impressed along with several of the Dinosaucers such as Stego, Struthio, Plateo, and Raptor. Blind Master continued.

"At any rate, the thing is, Allo, the anger and hate and rage I sensed from them was…not natural. There was no such way that a human or mutant could possibly exhibit and manifest such powerful and murderous feelings on a whim or on their own willpower. Despite what you may believe, the Misfits and their handlers are not always some sort of carefree, devil-may-care, brash, irresponsible group of party-animals, and they would never attack an innocent. Even if they were attacked, they kill only if necessary. Out of all our enemies such as Magneto, the Acolytes, the Hellfire Club, Mystique, and the Friends of Humanity, we have never ruthlessly taken their lives; we have incarcerated and publicly humiliated or exposed them, yes…but never eliminated them."

Blind Master then looked at Allo before continuing, "Allo, please believe me when I say G.I. Joe and the Misfits are good people, and they are all not in their right state of mind. The people I have known for so long would never have tried to attack your son, and even though he is a mutant, we are not fascist or bigoted, for we are truly fighting for a peaceful existence between mutants and humans. We are trying to help people survive in these changing times."

"We can kind of validate that testimony," Sarah said sadly, "A lot of people we've all known for years and years just turn into completely different people, almost like heartless monsters, whenever they come across Justin. And we don't think this is due to Justin's mutant powers because he always had this problem before they manifested. But the problem is, we don't know why. Without the mutation, Justin's just a normal teenager."

"But that is the thing, Sarah. I _can_ sense something about Justin…and it _isn't_ normal."

"What?" piped up Dimetro, his eyes showing concern and puzzlement.

"Of course it isn't normal. Justin's a mutant," Ryan said coldly before he could stop himself. Immediately, Montacera, Stego, Raptor, David, Sarah, Teryx and Bonehead glared at Ryan. David was angry enough to strike Ryan down. But it was Allo's look of disappointed sadness that hurt him the most as the allosaurus then said solemnly to Ryan, "Mutant or not, he is still my son, Ryan, and he's the one, last remaining shred of what could be a family I have left. Do you know how much it hurts me to see you hate my son like this? Do you know how much your current behavior reminds me of the Tyrannos when they mercilessly killed my wife and daughter?"

Ryan turned red as he clammed up. Blind Master was silent for a moment at this before he spoke to Allo, "I'm sorry for your loss."

Allo then gave the ninja a scrutinizing look before sighing, "Which is why I do not wish for Justin to seek help from the X-Men or people such as yourself for control of his powers."

Paul then broke in, "Gabriel, you said you could sense something about Justin? But…that is really strange. The Lavadome's medical scanners and tools are even more advanced than ones in any top-notch medical organization and hospital, yet Justin has not shown anything odd yet."

Dimetro added, "I have always conducted medical exams and tests and physicals for Justin, ever since he needed to recover from his injuries and dehydration in my medical ward the day he came within the Lavadome. Justin displays nothing extraordinary, and even before, I could not detect anything that indicated he was of special molecular and DNA composition. Could it be possible that you are sensing an emanation or essence from his mutant powers, sort of like a residual trace?"

"No, Dimetro, because I have never detected such a presence from the Misfits, and all of them are growing teenagers with tremendous and destructive mutant powers, more so than Justin's. Yet there has never been such an inborn force surrounding them such as the one I feel from Justin right now. And surprisingly enough, I **_also_** sense similar, yet at the same time, conflicting auras around the Secret Scouts. David, Sarah, Paul, and even Ryan, all of them have some sort of mystical presence about them."

"What?!"

All the Dinosaucers and Justin, save Allo, were shocked. Allo looked a bit uncomfortable at the mention. Sarah, David, Ryan, and Paul just gaped at Blind Master.

"You're kidding, right??!" Ryan gasped, stunned.

Gabriel Moore shook his head, replying, "Keep in mind, Ryan, that my senses are far more developed and adequate enough to feel such ki, such life forces. And in a way, it should come of no surprise. You said that everyone Justin has ever met has tried to kill him, correct? Well, that would not explain why **you** four are immune, and I doubt you are all mutants such as Justin."

Paul was silent before stating, "Well, I do not know about Sarah, David, and Ryan, but I have tested myself, and I do not even have a _dormant_ X-Gene, and even though dormant X-Genes do not cause mutations, it still wouldn't be effective enough to…I guess, make us act differently from every other person Justin has come across. Keep in mind, dormant X-Genes do not exhibit any changes to the human body."

David then supplicated, "Plus, it doesn't sound like even mutants can resist being mean to Justin. The Misfits seemed to go just as psycho as everyone else that Justin came across."

Blind Master then asked suggested delicately, "And yet…Cliffton's reports stated you four were fighting the Tyrannos along with the Dinosaucers when you were mere teenagers, even younger than Justin is now. That is not an easy feat, I can assume. So, am I right to guess that you were given some sort of aid or help to assist yourselves in the war between the Dinosaucers and the Tyrannos?"

Ryan just shook his head as he replied, "Well, we were given hover-motorcycles to help travel and such, but to tell you the truth, we don't have any special powers that helped us…well, check that, except for the Secret Scout rings Allo gave us."

Blind Master's head perked up in interest.

"Could I see these Secret Scout rings?"

Sarah, who was still kneeling next to the ninja master, took a ring from his pocket and placed it gently into the G.I. Joe's extended palm. Sarah then explained, "This ring is Justin's. He left it behind when he ran away because we could have used the signal from the ring to track him down. Think of it as a communicator and weapon, one that can give the bearer increased agility, strength, defense, and speed. In other words, the ring provides a temporary energy boost that increases the wearer's physical capabilities."

The solider lightly felt the ring. It was golden-colored signet ring, a plain band with a flat disc atop, but the disc contained a domed depiction of the planet Earth, complete with the latitude and longitude lines and the continents amid the blue oceans, all carved and sculpted with perfect detail. Blind Master frowned as he handed the ring back to Justin who immediately and gratefully placed the ring on his forefinger.

"That is not a normal ring, then. How exactly does it work and who made such a thing?"

"That's enough questions, Mr. Moore," Allo interrupted suddenly and gruffly, "Now answer a question for our sake: what do we do about your teammates and wards? Since they are mutants, and they are apparently hunting down you and Justin, it is safe to assume that they would eventually find the Lavadome base. The problem is: how soon and what do you plan to do about this?"

Blind Master frowned at the allosaurus Dinosaucer for being so curt. He certainly wasn't making things easier for Gabriel.

"That is something I still do not know, Allo. I cannot fight the entire force of Misfits and the Joe soldiers alongside them. And keep in mind that it is not their fault, that they are not doing this of their own free will! I cannot hurt them for something they cannot control, just like how Justin cannot control his mutant powers or the fact that this 'aura' is causing such chaos in his life!"

"But what are we going to do then? The Misfits and Joes won't have any concerns killing us, especially since they didn't mind trying to kill you for standing up for Justin!" Montacera exclaimed worriedly.

"Could we fight them then?" Teryx asked to Tricero.

"Apparently, we have no choice," grumbled the triceratops, "If the soldiers will be gunning down for Blind Master and Justin, we'd have to fight them or let them kill off Justin and Blind Master, worst yet, finding the Lavadome and reporting it back to Cliffton and Eddington."

"Maybe we could kill them off before they could do the same," Ryan said steely, "That way, we wouldn't have to worry about them sending word to the government that the Dinosaucers exist nor would we have to worry about them destroying the base."

"Not even an option, Ryan!" snapped Paul angrily.

"Why not?! They'd do the same to us, and besides, they're mutants, so it's not like anyone's going to cry much over -"

David then grabbed Ryan by the front of his shirt, while at the same time, raising a fist threateningly in front of the blond-haired man's face, snarling, "I swear, Ry! If you even finish that sentence, I'm gonna deck you so hard!"

Sarah then shouted at her brother, "And how short-sighted can you possibly be, Ryan?! Then does that mean Justin should go seek revenge on our mom and dad, even though they are good people and they couldn't help but treat Justin so horribly?! Like the Misfits?! Grow up, Ryan! Mutants are people as well!"

"David, stop! Don't hit him! Please, don't fight!" wheedled Justin as he tried to placate David by placing a hand on his arm in gentle restraint.

Bronto-Thunder then stated, "And besides, it may not be an easy battle! These are mutants and trained soldiers we're talking about, not some stupid, incompetent Tyrannos. We all may be powerful, but we have never dealt with mutants who could control water or the earth! Or who could curse us with bad luck or psychic attacks of the mind! We may suffer heavy losses if we take them head on!!"

"That's a nice thought," commented Stego sarcastically, making a face.

"I vote we sacrifice the Tyrannos moocher here first!" piped up Compy snidely, "After all, we could finally use Raptor for something meaningful other than taking up space, stinking up the joint, and eating all our food!"

"How would you like me to use you as a dinosaur-shield for the incoming bullets, you little pipsqueak?!" growled Raptor. As the two kept insulting each other, Teryx turned to the Blind Master.

"Is there any way you could call General Hawk or the other Joes? Explain to them what is going on and somehow get Hawk to call off the Misfits?"

"Teryx, what are you doing?! You actually _want_ soldiers to find us?!!" protested Itchy. Blind Master just shook his head, indicating his broken wrist-communicator.

"I cannot, Teryx, for unfortunately, my communicator that allows me to teleport via the Mass Device and send transmissions to the Pit was damaged from the battle when I had to help Justin. Blob must have held me so tightly, he accidentally crushed the communicator, and it's badly damaged. Even if it could be fixed, it would still take some time, and if we need to save the Lavadome base and you Dinosaucers as well, time is something we cannot afford. And I would doubt your base's communications would suffice for the job; not only would it bring danger in alerting people about the coordinates of the Lavadome, it would also not be able to hone in on the unique broadcast signal emitted exclusively to the Pit. And even if it were successful, General Hawk probably could call off the Misfits, but in their insane anger, the order would probably be ignored. And I cannot take Justin to the G.I. Joe headquarters because then the soldiers will try to kill him as well. I can't even use the Mass Device to teleport Justin to a safe, isolated location if I wished to, but that is just as well, considering Trinity could use their tracking sensors to locate where I last teleported -"

Blind Master then stopped as a horrible realization came to his mind.

"DAMN IT!!!"

"What's wrong?" Dimetro queried.

"I forgot!! Even though my communicator is broken, it still contains a unique chip that constantly emits a micro-frequency can be traced instantly! This means that for the past two hours or so, it has been emitting a homing signal for the Misfits!!"

"**_WHAT??!!! ARE YOU KIDDING?!!!!_**" chorused the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts. Yet it was clear that the ninja master was deadly serious. Allo was now enraged and immediately accusing.

"You led them to us!!" the allosaurus roared angrily.

"It was not on purpose, Allo!" Blind Master snapped back heatedly, his temper threatening to get the better of him while competing with worry and dread. Allo was right that it was partially his fault that the signal was even being broadcasted from the Lavadome base, but Blind Master was more concerned with helping Justin and tending to his serious injuries to think of it.

"How soon do you think the Misfits could track down on the signal?" Dimetro asked briskly. Yet a sudden crackle of energy sounded in the hot, desert air as a blue wave of hex-bolts flashed through and struck Struthio in the side, sending him flying back several feet and landing heavily on his back.

"Struthio!" cried Montacera as she rushed over to her friend's side. Luckily, the hex-bolt was not powerful enough to render the struthiomimus unconscious, and due to his thick hide, the Dinosaucer managed to stand up without much dizziness. However, the Dinosaucers, Secret Scouts, and Blind Master immediately turned from where the attack originated only to see a daunting sight.

There, standing forebodingly on the crest of a tall sand dune and gazing coldly down upon the Lavadome base and the Dinosaucers, were the Misfits and their parents, all of them still coursing with rage and warlike fury of hatred as they spotted Justin amongst his family.

"Shit," cursed Blind Master.

"Troops: search and destroy!! **ALL** of them!!" ordered Roadblock to the Misfits and his fellow soldiers as he loaded his machine gun with a final _click_.

**Author's notes: Check back next Friday for the upcoming action-intense battle between the Dinosaucers and the Misfits in the chapter, "Things Just Got Worse"!**

**Sarah: Gee, what a way to name a chapter!**


	10. Things Just Got Worse

**Author's notes: I want to say thank you for the reviews, and now, I have some new fans of the story! Hooray! Special thanks to asha-man72, Klinoa, and Metal Dragon1 along with the usual, terrific authors, L1701E, Red Witch, and Sparky Genocide! Thanks for the kind reviews! They give me the incentive to finish this story!**

**CHAPTER 10: Things Just Got Worse**

"Secret Scout Ring, _POWER UP_!!" yelled Sarah, Paul, David, Ryan, and Justin in unison as they raised their hands with their rings to the sky, and immediately, their bodies illuminated with an aura of shimmering, rosy light. The Dinosaucers immediately got into battle stances, prepared to defend their very lives against the Misfits and G.I. Joe. Allo, however, was furious that Justin was deciding to join and fight with the other Secret Scouts.

"Justin, get back inside the Lavadome and stay there!!" Allo yelled as the Dinosaucers and Blind Master charged towards the Misfits and the Joes.

"No!!" Allo got even more incensed at his son's defiance.

"Justin, this is a direct order!! Do it!! Go back to the Lavadome and put the base under lockdown!!!"

"I'm not leaving any of you!! **I'm** the one they want, so it's my fight too!!" Justin shot back, glaring at his father directly in the eye before he started to take off for the brawl, but now livid, Allo grabbed Justin roughly by the arm and forced him to remain still.

"Damn it, Justin! If you won't go willingly…" and Allo left the warning unfinished as he picked up a struggling Justin by the waist and started to carry him towards the base, his arm encircled around the teenager and pinning Justin's arms uselessly to his sides. He then spoke to Bronto-Thunder and Tricero on his communicator.

"Bronto-Thunder, Tricero, I'm going to take Justin back to the base for his safety; I will join you and the others immediately as soon as Justin is safe. Keep the both of us covered!" And then he shut off his radio-link before the triceratops and the brontosaurus could protest.

"Dad, let go!! They need me!! Let me go and fight!!" cried Justin angrily as he writhed and tried to buck out of Allo's grip, but the Dinosaucer turned a deaf ear as he kept sprinting towards the base, unwilling and extremely worried. Even with the added strength from the ring, Justin couldn't break out of his father's protective grip around him.

Meanwhile, the battle was raging fiercely.

Struthio gasped in astonishment as Quicksilver ran circles around him, being a multicolored blur in the air, moving so fast, the sands and winds picked up to howling speeds. The teenage Dinosaucer knew Blind Master told him Pietro was fast, but he didn't anticipate for the boy to be _this_ fast. Luckily, unlike Justin, Struthio was too heavy for Pietro to pick up easily, and with such a large mass, the dinosaur was able to keep his balance and feet firmly planted on the ground. However, the painful sensation of the dust and rock shrapnel striking his face and the sand clouds blocking his sight was a major disadvantage. Thinking quickly, the struthiomimus suddenly stuck out his tail within the ring of silver, white, and gray encircling rapidly around him. Unfortunately, it was clearly obvious that Quicksilver had been warily familiar of _that_ particular maneuver many times beforehand for the albino mutant jumped the tail easily before letting the Dinosaucer have a swift haymaker to his side. Struthio cried out in agony; even though it was light, physics withstanding, a light punch hurtling at over 100 miles per hours could generate enough force to make it feel like Struthio was hit with a two-ton iron bar. Over and over, the field scout was barraged with a multitude of lightning-quick punches and blows on his legs and torso while the cyclone blew harder and harder. Determined, Struthio stuck his tail out again in the circle, but this time, he stuck out his hand above his tail. Quicksilver nimbly avoided the tail…but jumped right into Struthio's waiting claw. With a thud, Pietro collided with the arm and was left winded on the sand, immediately lessening the force of the sand tornado. Seizing the moment, the struthiomimus picked up Pietro and grabbed the mutant from behind in a bear hug, effectively suspending him above the ground and preventing the Misfit from getting any traction on the sand.

"Gotcha!" crowed Struthio, but then Pietro smirked before his body immediately began rapidly vibrating, and in less than three seconds, Quicksilver's rapidly moving body caused enough friction to leave huge, red welts and burns on Struthio's arms, the heat biting enough to wear through the Dinosaucer's tough hide. Being in bodily contact, the rapid velocity of the albino's moving form was too intense for Struthio, and he cried out in pain again from the burns as he dropped a still-smirking Pietro.

"I'm not known for being a slippery one for nothing," Quicksilver mocked before he ran circles around Struthio again, this time now letting lose a full assault of blows, punches, and kicks all around the struthiomimus.

Teryx was narrowly dodging the laser pulses fired from Cover Girl's rifle as she flew in the air. Despite her agility and accurateness of flight control, it was still close enough to graze the remige and retrice feathers of her wings, singing them and causing several to fall out. Notwithstanding Teryx's best maneuvers, Cover Girl was a skilled markswoman; whatever she'd put her eye on, she'd put in a bullet. It was only a matter of time. Taking a huge gambit, the archaeopteryx did a complete break towards the sky, the glare of the sun directly behind her. Blinded by the harsh rays, Cover Girl ceased firing for a moment at her target, but the moment was all the Dinosaucer needed. Then executing a high yo-yo combat maneuver, like a jet, Teryx dove steeply before gliding directly above Cover Girl. Before the G.I. Joe soldier could react, using her mechanical manacle on her wrist, Teryx fired a blue, energy net directly at Cover Girl. It was one of the few abilities that she had over the other Dinosaucers, the ability to create and ensnare enemies with plasma nets made of ultraviolet radiation, a feat only possible due to advanced Reptilion technology. Though made of radiation energy, the net would only give a sufficient enough shock to render the solider unconscious without harm or injury. And the berth of the net was so wide and immense, Cover Girl could not possibly dodge it in time. With a crackle of electricity, the net enveloped Cover Girl and shrieking, the mousy-haired woman fell to her knees in pain, close to keeling over as the energy burned into her nerves. However, Low Light, enraged, grabbed the net off his girlfriend with both hands and extracted it off her body before it could do any damage. Teryx was at first confused. Why did the soldier do such a foolish thing? Now, because he was in direct contact with the net, he would be subjected to the energy shock. Yet despite seeing the ultraviolet streams snake up and down Low Light's arms, it was only until the human sniper's entire body began to glow that Teryx realized what was happening. She forgot that Low Light had the ability to transform his molecular make-up into solid, liquid, gas…or pure energy. So instead of shocking him, Low Light was actually _absorbing_ the ultraviolet radiation from the net into his body.

"Thanks for the energy boost, you feathered tramp!" snarled Low Light as he tossed aside the remains of the drained weapon, his entire body now illuminating with yellow light, "Now let me teach you to not mess with my girlfriend!" With that, Low Light immediately dissolved into a gaseous, thick, blinding, cloud of charcoal smoke and rocketed like a bullet directly at Teryx, swallowing her up within the mass of dark smog. The female reptile tried to fly out, but the smoke was everywhere; she couldn't see! Teryx coughed and sputtered madly, her flight pattern now chaotic, slow, and uncontrolled. Blind, distracted, and seriously weakened…it was the perfect chance for Cover Girl. Regaining hold of her laser rifle, Cover Girl aimed directly into the very heart of the smoke cloud and fired.

Direct hit. Teryx toppled out of the smoke with a cry before hitting the sandy terrain with a thud, her right shoulder streaked with blood, her wing useless. Stunned, all she could do was lie there on the brink of consciousness as Low Light reverted back to his normal human form, walking towards her.

Meanwhile, during the raging fights and curses, Althea spotted Allo and immediately guessed he was the prime dinosaur. And with the alpha Dinosaucer retreating back to the base, it was apparent she would find the brat, Justin, as well. She immediately dashed towards the direction of the Lavadome, but then another female, taller and with blond hair, jumped in front of her path. It was the Secret Scout, Sarah.

"Get out of my way, blondie!" growled Wavedancer.

"Bring it!" Sarah warned with equal danger as she got into a fighting stance from her lessons in kickboxing, "The only way you get to Justin is through me!!" Without much further prodding, Wavedancer flew forward with a powerful spring from her feet and started flailing Sarah with a flurry of punches, quick and hard. Sarah held her ground as she kept blocking the mutant's attacks, though barely for close combat was one of Althea's specialties. And Althea was smaller and much quicker. Already, Sarah's face was starting to show red marks from her opponent's fists as Althea then let loose a straight kick into Sarah's stomach. Winded, Sarah somersaulted backwards as she held her stomach gingerly with one hard as Wavedancer then charged towards her again. Ignoring the pain, Sarah then did a forward flip, narrowly missing Althea's roundhouse kick as she tried to deliver a downwards hammer punch on top of Althea, but the raven-haired solider simply blocked it effortlessly before grabbing Sarah's arm and flinging the girl to the ground in one, smooth, fluid motion. Wavedancer then tried to slam her foot onto Sarah's skull, but Sarah rolled away at the last instant, the boot missing her by no more than an inch before she did a one-armed handstand and caught Althea in the chin with her foot. Wavedancer winced in pain as the force was practically strong enough to dislocate her jaw. Superhuman strength, eh? Well then, if she wanted to get nasty… Sarah then back-flipped to safety as Wavedancer charged at her again, this time using her knife in one hand. Sarah was now getting extremely worried; no matter how much power her Secret Scout ring could help her, Althea was clearly winning and would soon overpower Sarah in a matter of seconds.

Stego and Plateo immediately took on the Scarlet Witch. Knowing her abilities from what Blind Master had told them, they figured two dinosaurs would be harder to overcome than a single foe. Immediately, Plateo touched his Dinosaucer insignia on his uniform, commanding to Stego, "Quickly, dinovolve!!"

Stego got the hint as he too touched his insignia on his uniform. To Wanda's shocked amazement, the plateosaurus and the stegosaurus immediately were engulfed with white light, energy released from each and every reptilian cell in their bodies as they began to undergo advanced metamorphosis.

"Dinovolve" is a term meaning to have a Dinosaucer's body revert into its former primordial form, its prehistoric body. Though they no longer had their physical, humanistic characteristics, Plateo and Stego both would change into stronger and more formidable opponents due to the "dinovolution" process. When the light faded, Wanda looked up to see herself staring directly at a primeval stegosaurus and plateosaurus, each towering over the teenager by at least fifty feet, both growling guttural noises. Wanda was now literally pitted against two Godzillas. Plateo was now standing upright on powerfully muscled hind legs with equally fearsome clawed forearms and a heavy, pliable tail that had to weigh at least a ton. Stego was equally impressive with his larger and rounder, hulking body that was casting a dreary shadow over Wanda, his stout plates on his back along with his spiked tail that looked stronger than steel.

With a roar, Stego immediately lumbered forward and arched his spiked tail high into the air before lunging it forward, like a scorpion, towards Wanda. Despite the ferocity, Plateo and Stego could honestly, even in their prehistoric forms, wish to not do any more harm to the mutant than absolutely necessary. But what choice did they have? Wanda was a powerful solider and opponent, and she would kill them and Justin if given the chance. Her army training rushing her instincts immediately, the goth girl managed to back-flip and roll away from the bony spikes at the last second, the tail crashing nearby in a cloud of dust and sand. Yet Plateo then dashed towards Scarlet Witch, ready to stomp her into the ground. Strafing like mad, the female mutant teen managed to dodge-roll out of the stampede in the last minute, though barely, the sand vibrating softly underneath the heavy Plateo's weight. Unfazed and resolute, Plateo simply turned around, causing his tail to swing towards Wanda like a whip. Gasping, the female Misfit ducked, the tail swishing by over her head by mere inches; even a grazing blow would be devastating enough to dislocate her shoulder. Snarling, Scarlet Witch let loose a huge hex-bolt, embedding it into Plateo's side. Wincing, the plateosaur faltered a bit, but he was too heavy to be knocked down by a simple hex-bolt. Wanda's hex powers were not strong enough to knock down a sentinel, much less a dinosaur. Encouraged, Stego then charged towards her this time, his tail ready, but Wanda immediately had a brilliant idea. As the bony, spiked club came rushing towards her, Scarlet Witch simply managed to hex the tail, causing Stego to lose control and ending up striking Plateo directly in the chest, leaving deep gouge wounds in the skin and flesh covering his sternum. Since the tail was relatively lighter than Stego's entire body, it was easier to hex it. From the pain, Plateo stumbled, wincing and making deep guttural rumblings of agony as the dinosaur awkwardly held both of its claws to its bleeding chest. Stego, horrified at what he had accidentally done, tried to attack Wanda again, but Wanda then flicked her hands at the sand underneath Plateo and Stego. Despite the firm ground moments ago, she had hexed the sand to turn it into a sinkhole, crumbling and turning into a sand trap, bringing the two heavy Dinosaucers lower and lower into the sand. Enraged, Plateo and Stego tried to scrabble out, but the more they struggled, the quicker they sank. The odds were now clearly against them

Wanda smirked, "What's the matter? Run into a little….**bad luck??**"

Plateo and Stego could both only helplessly roar in dismay as they sunk lower and lower into the sand, unable to move.

Paul wasn't doing too well, especially since Spirit was clearly the stronger, more experienced, and effective fighter in the duel. And despite his additional speed and agility from his ring, Sprit was surprisingly quick and versatile. If anything, the ring only brought Paul up to Spirit's level of combat, but not surpassing it. Spirit, stone faced yet with his dark eyes burning like hot coals, kept using a variety of judo and simple, fluid strikes that gave Paul very little room to back off and formulate a plan. Every time the Secret Scout tried to back off, Spirit would fearlessly dash forward with a different attack, whether it would be a punch, a kick, or a simple rush with his shoulder, like a football player. Yet the Native-American G.I. soldier was barely breaking a sweat, and almost seemed bored, as if he was playing cat-and-mouse, a trivial game, with Paul.

"Stop this!!" Paul tried to reason, "I don't wish to hurt you!!"

"Tell me where that mutant demon-child is, and I shall leave you," Spirit said in a low voice, barely tired, as he tried to sweep Paul off his feet with a low kick, but Paul managed to jump over the strike, avoiding it.

"No!" Paul's voice had never been more resolute and steadfast as it was on that one word, that one rebuttal.

"Then you shall die alongside him, foolish one," Spirit emotionlessly stated as he now became more intense and furious in his attacks. Paul then saw an opening as he jumped high and forward, his knee extended directly at Spirit's chest while throwing a simultaneous corkscrew punch at the soldier's jaw. Yet Spirit crossed his arms across his chest and blocked, catching the brunt of Paul's knee in the apex of his joined forearms while his hands caught hold of Paul's wrist. With a grunt, Sprit threw Paul down on the sand, the Secret Scout landing hard on his stomach. Yet before Paul could get back up, Spirit then jumped on Paul's back before applying a swift chokehold around his opponent's neck, his biceps immediately flexing and cutting off Paul's air supply. Paul choked as he tried to buck Spirit off him, but the G.I. Joe was too heavy for him, and already, black dots were appearing before Paul's eyes as his face grew red from struggling, and he could taste the roof of his mouth filling with blood. It wouldn't be long now.

"**You traitor!! You treacherous scum!! You disgrace all of the glory and honor that is of the ninja way!! You shall pay for your betrayal, uragirimono!!!**" Xi snarled murderously at his teacher and mentor as he tried to rip Blind Master to shreds with his claws, his feet and hands moving so swiftly, they were green blurs. Blind Master, however, was in no danger, his senses honed from years of battle and training. A simple shove, a quick twirl, a whack with his cane if a blow should come too close for his liking, Gabriel moved swift and sure. No matter what, Xi could not land a single punch on Gabriel. He may not wish to kill Xi, but he certainly would not want to give Xi a chance to hurt him, even in the mutant's insane rage. And there would be no way in hell Blind Master would allow any harm to come to Justin. Even if it would cost him his own life, Blind Master would do everything he could to ensure Justin and the Dinosaucers would survive this. **(See Author's notes)**

"Makeru mon ka," Blind Master replied softly in Japanese, placating. This statement, however, only further infuriated Xi as he kept trying to attack, now completely feral and lost in bloodlust. **(See Author's notes)**

Low Light then transformed his body into pure steel as he approached Teryx, ready to dig his metal fingers into Teryx's body and rip out her vital organs, one by one. But before he could grab the female Dinosaucer, there was a strangled cry from Cover Girl followed by a short noise of crackling rock, like grinding stone and ice cracking in first contact with water. The blond sniper turned to see, to his absolute horror, Cover Girl now frozen solid, fossilized into pure, hard, brown stone and rock. She had been shot, rendering her useless in the battle, her face still etched in surprise. And standing ten feet away from her with his gun still pointed at Cover Girl was Bonehead, trembling slightly with fear at what he had done, but still steadfast nonetheless. Low Light was furious, almost apoplectic.

"You miserable son of a lizard bitch!!" roared Low Light as he took out his sniper rifle fluidly, ready to put a bullet straight into Bonehead's eye and brain. Yet, without warning, a hand similar to a crab's claw pinched his arms painfully, to the point of feeling his bone scream at the sudden pressure as another pincer grasped the sniper gun and neatly decapitated it into two pieces. Low Light furiously turned to see himself face to face with Itchy. The gray itchyosaurus was fuming, his face in a dark scowl and his teeth showing dangerously.

"Let **me** teach **you** what happens to assholes that shoot my fiancée!" Itchy shouted as he flung Low Light back by several feet before ordering, "Bonehead, quick!! Fossilize him!!"

Upon the command, the pachycephalosaurus aimed his gun and shot a beam of multicolored light directly at Low Light, the laser cutting through the air and striking the G.I. Joe in the chest. Itchy was at first triumphant, but then to his horror, the dolphin-like dinosaur saw that Low Light was still moving and fully conscious, even after being shot at by the fossilizer gun. It didn't work! Then Itchy and Bonehead saw that Low Light had now transformed his body into stone, his tattered, black uniform now showing blackish-gray rock, his entire body now resembling a living golem.

"Here's a tip, morons!" Low Light snapped as he broke into a charging run towards Itchy, "You **can't** fossilize me if I'm already in the form of rock!!"

"Bring it, Joe!! You're due for a beat-down!!" snapped Itchy as he charged towards Low Light. With a roar, they both leapt towards each others throats, with Itchy having the advantage of towering over Low Light by several feet and being heavier while the army sniper had the advantage of deadly combat training and his mutant power. Low Light punched Itchy in the stomach hard with a rock fist before giving the Dinosaucer a head-butt in the chin. Not bothering the wipe the dribbling blood from his mouth, Itchy twirled around, his dolphin tail catching the soldier smartly on the neck, and even with the stone shell, damn, it still hurt like hellfire. However, the tail-whip was quickly followed by an execution of a backhand-and-right-cross punch combo before Low Light felt himself tackled and pinned to the ground. Itchy was no weakling, and multiple battles with the Tyrannos honed his skills of hand to hand combat. Yet Low Light wasn't beaten yet. Not by a long shot. As the Dinosaucer kept trying to crush him, Low Light's body glowed again with the brilliant hue of pure, unrestrained electricity.

"Hey, what the -?!" but that was all the itchyosaurus was able to utter before Low Light grasped the arms of his attacker with his hands and sent an insane amount of painful electricity coursing through Itchy's body. Itchy screamed in pain as the searing volts wrecked his senses and caused every nerve cell in his body to shrivel in anguish. His body slightly smoking, Itchy toppled off Low Light, unconscious and barely breathing; thankfully though, the Dinosaucer was still alive. Low Light managed to squirm his way from underneath the electrocuted dinosaur, reverting back to his normal form when he heard heavy footsteps pounding the ground rapidly behind him. The G.I. Joe cursed. He forgot about the second Dinosaucer, the one that fossilized Cover Girl. Preparing for the worst, Low Light transformed into solid steel alloy as he whirled around, ready to face the pachycephalosaurus.

"C'mon!! Give me your best…shot?" the sniper finished weakly as he saw Bonehead charging straight towards him. Unfortunately for Low Light, he was now facing the angry form of the dinovolved Bonehead, now changed to gargantuan size and massive strength. Facing the simple, naïve, spacey-looking Dinosaucer was one thing. Facing a prehistoric dinosaur with his massive, impenetrable skull bent low like a bull's and charging with speeds that could rival a moving car was another matter. And with Bonehead already within meters of Low Light, the mutant soldier didn't have much time to do anything else except gasp as Bonehead head-butted him in the chest. Hard. With enough force to knock over a steel, twenty-ton tank. With a snort and a final upwards thrust of his head, Bonehead sent Low Light, in his steel form, flying high in the air, clubbing the wind out of the G.I. Joe. Stunned and experiencing incredible pressure from the conflicting G-forces, Low Light could only go limp as he sailed in a steep curve before crashing back down into the sand. Groaning, Low Light managed to prop himself up into a sitting position, in sheer agony. He then noticed that even in his steel body, Low Light's chest area was caved inward from the brute force of Bonehead's thick skull. Two hundred feet or so away, Bonehead morphed back into his humanoid form, wincing as he gingerly touched his head.

"I am so going to feel _that_ one in the morning," Bonehead groaned in pain.

"_Bad dinosaur!_" chanted Trinity in unison as they kept shocking Compy with psychic lightning as they flew in the air, holding each other's hands, and hovered after the Dinosaucer, "_Bad dinosaur! Bad, bad, bad!!_"

"YEEEAAARRRRGGGHHH!! Get these Stepford psychopaths away from me!!" hollered the compsognathus as he kept nimbly running, trying his best to avoid the bolts of energy as they literally seared into his mind and brain, rummaging through his path of memories like an out-of-control, swerving racecar. Nothing he could do could possibly defend himself from mutant triplets. As a huge, crackling force of white energy then thundered down on the small Dinosaucer, Tricero managed to grab Compy by the collar and roughly pulled him out of the danger. The lightning crashed down harmlessly on the sand within an inch or two of striking distance. However, Daria then commanded to Brittney and Quinn, "Delta Psychic Wave, girls!"

Upon the order, all three girls immediately formed a triangle formation, joining hands as a huge pulse of white energy started to swirl and coagulate into a mass of hot, psychic aura, churning and writhing. It was like staring directly into a snowstorm, a hurricane of white. With a thunderous roar, the mass flew towards Tricero and Compy. Thinking fast, Tricero grabbed Compy by the very back of his uniform tightly, saying gruffly, "Compy, break those girls apart, and they can't use their psychic attacks."

"Huh? Hey, what are you -?!!" Compy began as he was hefted roughly from behind. However, like a shot-put ball, Tricero simply leaned back effortlessly.

"Enjoy you first flying lesson, Compy," and with that, a hollering compsognathus was lobbed over the psychic energy like a baseball, gracefully soaring in a soft arc. With arms, legs, and tail flailing madly, Compy could only brace himself as the energy narrowly whizzed by underneath him, still heading directly towards Tricero who was on the ground below. Then Compy realized he was heading directly for the three triplet sisters, about to collide into them, exactly what Tricero intended when he aimed his throw. With a crash, Compy entangled himself into Daria, Quinn, and Brittney, and fearful of the high altitude, Compy scrambled onto the back of Daria, madly clawing and kicking.

"Hey, let go!" yelled Daria, distracted, and on cue, all four of them fell down onto the sand with a plop. Stunned, Compy then tried to get back on his feet and attack, but then using their martial skills, Quinn and Brittney started punching the Dinosaucer with quick, multiple jabs while Daria leapt into the air and tried to deliver a spinning-axel kick to Compy's head. Compy luckily managed to sidestep out of Daira's foot, but only to immediately become weighed down as Quinn and Brittney tackled him, trying to pin him down.

"If I live through this, I'm gonna _kill_ Tricero!" cursed Compy angrily as he tried to madly tear the Triplets off him, yet the young mutants were surprisingly strong as they dog-piled the compsognathus.

Raptor was busy dodging the rainfall of metal bullets that Roadblock was shooting at him with his machine gun. Though the G.I. Joe solider had the weapon, Raptor was quick on his feet. Being a velociraptor enabled him flexible bodily movement and spilt-second reflexes, and combined with his cunning, Raptor was a deadly assassin. The sounds of rapid gunfire, like ripping cloth, rent the air as Roadblock kept spraying the sand with ammunition. Yet, to Raptor's foresight and intuition, it wasn't long before Roadblock ran out of the current bullet sash he was using. Knowing it was now or never, Raptor immediately sprung towards the African American Joe, taking a flying leap and soaring into the air like a cougar, ready to pounce and crush the human beneath him. There would be no possible way the army soldier would ever be able to reload his machine gun in time, and in extremely narrow quarters, a gun would always lose in close combat. Out of all the Dinosaucers, Raptor had no qualms or second thoughts about killing, and he was damn proud of it. However, Roadblock was no fool. Roadblock managed to crouch down before pushing himself forward on the balls of his feet in an effective roll maneuver, evading the spot where Raptor landed with his clawed feet by several inches. Snarling, Raptor turned around to face Roadblock, only to be met with a swift jab in the snout with the butt of Roadblock's gun. Feeling a tooth cracking from the hit, snarling, Raptor delivered a swift roundhouse kick. Roadblock leapt back, but he couldn't avoid the Dinosaucer's clawed foot, and wincing, the Joe now had four parallel and bleeding gashes showing through his army-green tank top. Raptor tried kicking him again, but Roadblock easily sidestepped before clubbing the dinosaur in the back with the weapon. Raptor then returned the favor with a backhand across the man's face. Taking the hit, Roadblock undid his spare bullet sash, and using it like a whip, Roadblock twirled around before delivering a stinging slap across Raptor's head with the flat end of the metal-studded band, the Raptor's face now showing ugly bruises dripping with blood from the swelling. Damn. _That_ one hurt. Raptor then tried to claw at Roadblock again, but using another evasive maneuver from his military training, the Joe efficiently dodged the Dinosaucer's claws before leaping onto Raptor's back. Within a split second, the bullet sash was now tightened around Raptor's neck, strangling him. Raptor choked, trying to tug the collar off him, but Roadblock increased the pressure and pulled both ends harder, bring the Dinosaucer to his knees, close to passing out.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and once I'm done with you, Justin will hear my gun's call," sneered Roadblock in Raptor's ear, giving the sash a final tug, but Raptor, at the mention of Justin's name, managed to grab Roadblock's head from behind, his arm encircling around the Joe's neck, and flung the human off him as hard as he could. Roadblock landed on the ground on his back, but he still had a death grip on the bullet strip, and using it as leverage, Roadblock delivered another kick under Raptor's chin. Yet the brief moment was all Raptor needed to slash and hack at the sash with his claws, ripping in into three pieces, and the kick just gave Raptor the needed momentum to rip free from the stranglehold. Gasping, Raptor then sneered back.

"You are an annoying twit…and your rhyming stinks," Raptor said curtly, rudely. Roadblock became instantly murderous.

"You'll pay for that remark, turd!" Roadblock shouted as he charged with fists flying, Raptor retaliating just the same, and over and over, the Dinosaucer and Joe traded curses, kicks, and punches, blow for blow.

They weren't the only ones trading blow for blow. Bronto-Thunder and Blob were wrestling, their hands gripped upon the other, grunting and shoving. Both were trying to outbid and overpower the other in a sheer contest of muscle and brute strength. Though the brontosaurus towered over Blob many fold, Blob was still surprisingly strong, and no matter how hard he tried, the Dinosaucer could not shove Blob back. And since he was considerably much smaller, it was harder and more awkward for Bronto-Thunder to gain leverage and a good position to pin Blob down; it was like trying to push down an unmovable lawn gnome. And the fleeting moments that passed only resulted in the match becoming more and more ugly and violent.

"OW! Let go of my hair, long-neck!!" hollered Blob as Bronto-Thunder gave the mutant's Mohawk another tug.

"When _you_ let go of my tail, fatso!!" yelled Bronto-Thunder in pain as Fred squeezed on the Dinosaucer's appendage even harder with his free hand.

"You're one to talk, Lizard-Lard-Bottom!!" Fred snapped as he gave the Dinosaucer opponent a good swift knee into the stomach before adding, "Typical! Insulting others for the same physical imperfections you suffer yourself!! Talk about your typical scapegoat venting!"

"Who the hell are **you** to talk?! A 'Dr. Phil' reject?!!" retorted Bronto-Thunder as he tried returning the blow with his fist, but to his horror, he found that his hand merely just sunk into the stomach of the mutant teen, making wet, squelching noises like quicksand. Bronto-Thunder grunted as he tried pulling it out, but to his surprise, the fat and muscle of Blob's stomach started compressing against his hand painfully, like a vise, and as such, the Dinosaucer's hand was stuck within the folds of Fred's stomach. He couldn't get out.

"Hey! Leggo!!!" exclaimed Bronto-Thunder.

"Ha ha!" crowed Fred as he let go of the brontosaurus' tail and punched the dinosaur's collarbone hard with his fist. Trying his hardest not to reel from the burning pain of bone cracking, Bronto-Thunder used his now-free tail to wrap itself tightly around Fred's neck like a noose. Aghast in shock, Fred struggled with the tail around his windpipe, and with this distraction, the grip around Bronto-Thunder's fist lessened, and taking advantage of the moment, the Dinosaucer ripped his fist clear before elbowing Fred in the chin. Fred stumbled back a bit, but he did not fall, and instead, he just gave Bronto-Thunder a look of pure anger.

"_Ha ha!_" echoed the Dinosaucer annoyingly, mockingly.

"You're gonna regret that, jackass!" roared Blob as he charged at Bronto-Thunder.

"Somehow, I doubt that, you dumb redneck!" shot Bronto-Thunder as he sidestepped the charging mass and tripped him neatly with one foot.

"Reptilian pig!" snarled Blob as he got up and charged again, undaunted.

Meanwhile, Paul was coming close to being strangled to death and Spirit increased the pressure of his forearm across his neck, squeezing harder and harder. Paul was close to suffocating, his lungs begging for some air, and each struggle and body movement just made his body give in to the temptation to go limp even further. Spirit's face was emotionless, waiting for the second when the Secret Scout expired until a foot delivered its heel straight into the soldier's nose, sending enough force for Spirit's head to crack back. The G.I. Joe soldier fell soundlessly, not even realizing that the Secret Scout David managed to sneak up from Spirit's blind spot to deliver a side kick straight to the man's head. And with the additional energy increasing his strength, it was safe to say the Native American would be down and out for a good while. As the Spirit fell, his chokehold lessened and allowed Paul to gasp eagerly for precious air.

"You OK?" David asked worriedly as he knelt by his friend.

"I've had better days," Paul said shortly between deep breaths, coughing, but unfortunately, there wasn't much time for rest. Bullets whizzed over their heads precariously, and David saw that the sailor, Shipwreck, was currently shooting at them with his twin Eagles.

"Scatter!!" David snapped at Paul, giving his friend a shove while he charged directly at the bearded naval Joe. It was foolhardy, but Paul was seriously weakened to put up a good offense, and with David rushing in for a quick ambush, Shipwreck would have no choice but to aim his guns at the raven-haired adult instead. It worked. Shipwreck started shooting at David, and the Secret Scout didn't even flinch as the two bullets grazed by his shoulder and thigh painfully, leaving behind flesh wounds. Running and sliding erratically, David made a flying leap and tried to deliver a flying double-roundhouse kick at Shipwreck. Shipwreck managed to step aside by half-turning his body, but he only avoided the first kick only to have one of the Eagle guns knocked out of his hand by with the second kick. Ignoring the pain in his left hand, Shipwreck swung the butt of his gun with his other hand, having it collide against the right side of David's face. Feeling the blood run down his temple, David managed to quickly pick up a handful of sand and threw it directly in the soldier's eyes. Roaring, Shipwreck was blinded as he tried to painfully blink and rub the sharp fragments of rock and dust from his face, but David used the opportunity to karate-chop the second Eagle out of his attacker's right hand before sweeping the ground with his foot and tripping Shipwreck. Before Shipwreck could get up, David tackled him and pinned the sailor down as best as he could.

Lina did her best to avoid Montacera as the Dinosaucer kept trying to punch her before she finally managed to soar up into the air, avoiding the montanoceratops' blows. Frustrated, Montacera realized that as long as Dragonfly was airborne, she couldn't lay a single hand on her.

"Come down and fight fair, you coward!!" snapped Montacera. Glowering, Lina then swooped down and tried to buzz right by the young Dinosaucer with her wings. Montacera then felt a painful sensation on her shoulder as Lina flew by, and she realized that there was a deep laceration bleeding through her torn uniform. The mutant girl wasn't as defenseless and weak as she appeared to be; though fragile looking, those clear wings were razor-sharp, like knives, and could cut through metal.

"That fair enough?" Dragonfly mocked patronizingly before she shot out a stream of white, sticky silk from her mouth. Montacera shrieked in outrage as the mess of protein splattered against her face and eyes, blinding her. The dinosaur tried desperately to pull the threaded gunk off her face, but it immediately hardened upon contact with the air, and as such, it was like trying to pull out hardened gum and taffy. Unable to do anything, Montacera was truly incapable, and it was then that Dragonfly dive-bombed towards her enemy again.

"Montacera!!" cried out a deep voice, and before she knew it, Montacera felt someone shove her to the ground and gently cover her, a huge, hulking form pressing her small body against the sand, as the sudden noise of Lina's wings rushed past. There was a horrible ripping, wet sound, like the sound of a chainsaw striking a clod of moist earth and mud, followed by a scream of anguish from Tricero. Trembling clawed fingers managed to rip away the last of the silk from Montacera's eyes as she saw she was looking into the haggard, sick face of Tricero, his complexion greener than normal.

"Tricero?" gasped Montacera weakly as she saw the damage Lina's wings caused when she flew by. The triceratops's entire back was horrifically slashed and in tatters, blood pouring freely and the wounds deep, creating disgusting, loose ribbons of flesh. Then she realized what the triceratops had done; Tricero had shielded Montacera from the onslaught of Dragonfly's wings and had willingly taken the damage meant for her. If not for Tricero, it would have been Montacera who would have been critically wounded. The elder Dinosaucer was shaking uncontrollably with the shock of blood loss as he nearly collapsed on the sand, barely able to prop himself up with his hands.

"Tricero!" Montacera cried, his throat clogged and close to wailing.

"I'm…all…right…" Tricero managed to gasp, but his voice was hoarse and thick with dizziness, as if he was about to vomit.

Ryan and Dimetro both teamed up against Toad, but even their combined strengths were not evenly matched against the mutant's agility, martial expertise, and evasive jumps. Toad managed to avoid every lunge and attack made by Ryan and Dimetro, and when the Dinosaucer got too close, he let loose a swarm of martial strikes. Yet it was not that successful. Dimetro, though slow, certainly could handle the punches and kicks sent by Toad, and the frog mutant soon learned that not even his powerful legs could crush and damage through the tough hide and built, solid frame of the dimetrodon. Toad then suddenly let loose a globule of blue slime. Yelping, Dimetro felt the mass splatter against his arm.

Enraged at the sight. Ryan then stormed towards Toad, snarling, "Leave him alone, you freak!!"

"Funny, comin' from the guy associatin' with dinosaurs!" Todd retorted as he took out his wooden bo staff that was strapped behind his back and started twirling it expertly. Unafraid, Ryan let loose a jab, left hook followed by an elbow-thrust punch combo only to have Toad lean and doge every attack with ease before thwacking the side of his staff on Ryan's head. Stars and colors literally exploded in front of the blond adult's sight, but shaking out the cobwebs, Ryan then tried to tackle Toad again. Toad then jumped high into the air, his mutant strength based on his frog-mutation enabling his legs to send Toad high into the air like a rocket. Smirking, Ryan then used the additional energy from his Secret Scout ring to jump high into the air as well, soaring directly towards the Toad who was shocked at the sight.

"Hey, how'd you do that?! I thought you're not a mutant!!"

"God forbid if I turn out to be a freak like you, pond-scum!" shouted Ryan as he let loose a scissor kick that Toad barely had time to block. In the air, the martial combat was strangely majestic, like a scene from the movie, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

Back at the Lavadome, Allo was still trying to restrain Justin and force his son to hide in his room. Justin, however, was not having it, and Allo was getting dangerously close to losing his temper fully.

"Dad, let me go!"

"Justin, damn it, stay here and hide!!" yelled Allo in his son's face as he gripped the teenager tightly by the shoulders and forced him to remain standing in the doorway of the Lavadome.

"Dad, the Dinosaucers -!!"

"No excuses, Justin!! Don't question me!! Just do as I say!!!"

"They'll get hurt because of me!! I need to help them!!"

"The Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts will get hurt because they wish to protect you, not to have you go run out like an idiot into battle!! So stop this foolishness now!"

"You can't make me stay, Dad! I won't be selfish and hide like a coward!"

"Justin, so help me, if you don't do as I say, I'll tie you down!" Allo seethed as he gripped his son so hard, Justin's felt like his spine were being crushed.

Justin was now sobbing, pleading as the allosaurus felt his child's hands weakly grasp at his.

"Dad, please! Just let them kill me if it will put a stop to this! I don't want to lose them! I don't want to lose my friends, my family! If…if all the Misfits want is to kill me…then maybe they'll leave the others alone when they're done with me! I…I don't want to lose them!"

Allo's heart broke at that sentence, that plea for mercy killing. Justin wanted the Misfits to murder him, to be a sacrifice of appeasement, to somehow offer himself as a chance for the Dinosaucers to escape harm. Allo then gripped his son's face firmly, trying hard not to let his son know how much he was pained to hear that.

"**But I don't want to lose you.** So please, for the gods' sake, stop being foolish and just hide. I already lost one child. I don't want to lose another."

Before Justin could answer, the very ground beneath them started wavering and shaking uncontrollably, the metal structure of the Lavadome creaking and groaning with the sudden shift of the rock beneath it. The earth was moving so irregularly, it was like a layer of brown rubber, waves and waves of seismic force rippling through the terrain like water and causing some noticeable destruction to the base.

"What in the name of the mother planet?!!" Allo gasped. Justin, however, remembered his previous experience with the Misfits and bore in mind what the mutant named Avalanche could do with his power. The teenager turned his eyes out to the desert to see to his horror, Lance sneering at him as he hovered his hands in front of him, concentrating on a seismic attack to bring the whole base down, and hopefully taking Allo and Justin with them. To the Dinosaucer's dread, a wave of earth and rocks emerged from the horizon before gaining speed and charging directly towards them, the sounds of moving terrain like rumbling of the loudest thunder. Like clockwork, the floor of the Lavadome, unable to tolerate so much pressure, cracked and tore asunder, metal twisting and snapping like brittle, flimsy plastic, and the metal domes threatened to collapse even further, debris and shrapnel raining down as deadly hail. As Justin unconsciously backed further into the hangar bay in fright, the metal floor underneath his feet suddenly caved in and crumpled into wrinkled, useless sheet metal. Screaming, Justin fell on his stomach as the floor disintegrated bit by bit, threatening to send the teenager into a bottomless chasm formed from the earthquakes. Allo immediately lunged for his son, his attention to Avalanche forgotten.

"Justin!!"

"Dad!!" Justin whimpered in relief as his father managed to grab him by the hand, the teenager hanging on precariously as he dangled in the emptiness of the black hole of where the floor of the Lavadome base used to be. Justin grasped at his father's oversized claws with both hands tightly, his arms and chest muscles burning from the sudden pull and exertion. Unfortunately, the floor, bucking underneath the allosaurus' weight, was starting to give in as well. If Allo didn't get out in time, he would fall to his doom alongside Justin. If he did, he would still have to deal with the crushing surge of rock that was approaching the base closer and closer, ready to bury the Dinosaucers' home and seal it underneath a rockslide.

"It's finished, you pathetic wimp!!" shouted Avalanche in glee, but Justin's body once again, due to the extreme fear and danger, began to glow its telltale silvery light as the white sparkles and orbs enveloped both him and Allo. With a gentle noise, the Dinosaucer and the teenager disappeared just before the earthquake completely desecrated the Lavadome in mere seconds later.

During this time, Dimetro was actually feeling numb, his body stinging and struggling to listen to the orders from his brain. His vision was starting to blur, his breath was coming in short gasps, and by Reptilion, it took all of his strength to not faint from exhaustion right then and there as he fell to his knees.

"What…what is going on??" he wondered out loud, sweating profusely. Toad smiled wickedly as he managed to jump above the Dinosaucer, trying to evade Ryan who was still pursuing him.

"Yo, feelin' a bit down, Dinosaucer? It's a little present thanks to the slime I hit you with earlier. It's pretty cool, huh? That slime's poisonous, even when it comes into body contact for just a little while, and it has a little nice paralyzing effect on top of the poison, so if you don't manage to keep up, you're gonna pass out, unable to move. Course, that's assumin' that you'll manage to survive the toxins in your bloodstream that seeped in your body from my slimeball cause that poison's gonna do a number on your vital organs."

"In a minute, I'm going to do a number on your head, you mutie bastard!!" roared Ryan in helpless fury as he tried to tackle Toad again, taking another flying leap. But Toad was ready for him this time. Twisting his body, the mutant soldier managed to avoid the attack before kicking out with his frog legs, catching Ryan in the stomach. Winded, Ryan couldn't do anything but fall back down to the sand, crashing on his back.

"Ryan…" croaked a weakening Dimetro in worry as Ryan, unconscious, laid sprawled out on the desert floor, limbs akimbo. Toad then leapt back into the air again, this time ready to land feet first directly on top of Ryan's body. With his heavy amphibian legs and the accelerating trip down, Toad could easily crush every single bone in the Secret Scout's body. At the same moment, Allo and Justin the appeared in a flurry of sparks right beside Dimetro, teleporting to a safer place thanks to Justin's power. Allo was completely floored. One instant, he and Justin were hanging on for dear life; the next instant, he was overwhelmed by a bright illumination before finding himself and his son out in the desert next to Dimetro. Then the Dinosaucer leader noticed his friend sinking into critical danger from the poisonous reside sticking to his skin.

"Dimetro!" gasped Allo as he rushed to the dimetrodon's aid. Justin then spotted Ryan and the mutant called Toad about to pound him into a bloody smear on the sand.

"Ryan!" Justin cried out in worry, and before he even could comprehend what he was doing, Justin vanished and disintegrated into a mess of lights before Allo could stop him only to appear again by Ryan's side.

"Ju…Justin??" Ryan managed to utter weakly, on the brink of regaining consciousness as he saw the younger Secret Scout next to him. Without replying, Justin grabbed Ryan's arm and teleported again, taking Ryan with him.

THUD! As Justin reappeared with Ryan next to them, Dimetro and Allo saw that Toad was now stuck up to his waist in the sand, the downward landing generating so much force, nothing broke his fall as he plummeted feet first onto the ground. Now Toad, a bit dizzy (and who could blame him), was embedded into the desert ground. If Justin didn't teleport Ryan out of the way, Toad would have killed the man.

"Wow, what a rush!" panted Justin as he materialized. This time, the use of his mutation came much easier, quicker.

"WHOA!" Paul, who was nearby, exclaimed in awe, "You can _teleport_ too??!"

"I dunno! I guess so!" gasped Justin the instant the glittering, white sparks faded.

Ryan, however, was looking up at the mutant teenager who was still holding his hand protectively, as if Justin had grown three heads.

"You…you saved me?" Ryan managed to gasp. Justin nodded, looking at the injured Ryan still lying on his back in the sand, no trace of malice or bitterness in his wide eyes.

"I couldn't let you get hurt, Ryan." Ryan honestly did not know how to feel about that statement.

"Oof!!" grunted David as Shipwreck managed to place a knee below the Secret Scout's stomach and forcefully push the raven-haired young adult off his body. Spirit was starting to regain consciousness as he groggily hefted himself into a sitting position. Itchy, now awake, managed to limp out of the battlefield while a bleeding Teryx was leaning on her fiancée heavily, an arm draped around the itchyosaurus' shoulders, her clawed feet and wings dragging heavily into the sand. Raptor, to Compy's surprise, managed to divert Trinity long enough to pull his ally out of danger. Blind Master was helping Plateo and Stego, both whom miraculously managed to extract themselves from the sand-trap Wanda created with her hex-bolts. Unfortunately, the battle was far from over.

All around the Dinosaucers, Blind Master and the Secret Scouts, in a crude circle, were the Misfits and Joes, now gaining a second wind for fighting the instant they saw Justin huddled with his family and friends.

"Surrender the brat, and we might let you Dinosaucers live!" roared Low Light as he pointed furiously at Justin. Allo then protectively grabbed the frightened Justin, holding him close to his body, guarding him.

"You can't have him!! I won't let you take my son!!" bellowed Allo.

"Then get ready to become extinct, Dinosaucers!!!" yelled Althea as she and the rest of the team powered up and readied their weapons, about to strike the finishing blow. All the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts, despite their injuries, tensed for the critical moment, sure that if Justin would not survive this, then they would all gladly die alongside with him.

To their surprise, it was not to be.

"**_Illustro orbis lux lucis claustrum!!!_**" commanded a deep, harsh voice in Latin from the skies above, its formal authority echoing grandly across the desert. Upon the mysterious chant, out of the blue, rings of the purest white light emerged from the sky, forming from thin air and radiating a powerful essence before setting themselves upon the Misfits and the Joes surrounding the area. Like magic, the rings completely encircled the soldiers before shrinking and tightening around their bodies, pinning their arms to their sides and binding their legs together uselessly before levitating them softly above the ground. Several, like Xi and Wavedancer, did their best to avoid and dodge the rings and Low Light even tried to transform into a gaseous phase. However, the end result was the same. **(See Author's notes)**

"Hey, leggo!!" cried Toad as he was imprisoned.

"Hey, no fair, you cheats!!" yelled Blob, the bands managing to even lift _him_ up despite his obese weight.

"I can't get loose!! I can't get loose!!" cried Pietro as he kept trying to struggle and writhe out of the grasp. Blind Master and the others were astounded.

"**Amazing!!** How many things _can_ you do with your mutant powers?!" exclaimed Paul in astonishment.

"Paul, it's not me!! I didn't do anything!" Justin gasped.

"Are you sure?!" asked a bewildered Sarah as she stared at the sight.

Compy then demanded impatiently to Justin, "Wait a minute! If you didn't do anything, then who the slag did?!!"

"That would be the work of us Whitelighters, you pitiful demon," snarled a voice as a group of twenty-one men, varying in size, height and bulk suddenly materialized in a flurry of white sparks around them in a knit, perfectly formed circle, surrounding the group. Justin was stunned. All of the men were young, having pale, yet not sickly, skin with rosy hues, and it was clearly evident that they were powerful warriors and impressive fighters, especially since they were all carrying scythes and swords made from black metal. Each of the men were wearing white robes that looked like the purest lily blossom, the freshest snow, the whitest cloud. And Justin was even further startled to see that the men, all of them, could appear by summoning a bunch of white, heavenly auras, exactly like he could. But how was that possible? Were they mutants as well? And then Justin noticed with some trepidation that all the men were glaring at him, and three of the mysterious angels were especially antagonistic.

One was a strong, robust, strapping man with silver eyes and long, black hair with one lock of his hair behind his temple entwined in a thin, long braid. His face was delicate and almost feminine, yet the way he stood so proudly and confidently, challenging even, said that this person was not of the peaceful type. He was carrying a black, double-headed axe.

The second was a slightly shorter adult with short, platinum-blond colored hair and cold blue eyes of a glacier that made the insides of Justin freeze up in fear and intimidation as the bore into him. He too was wearing a white robe, but unlike the first man, this one was stockier, his muscular build looming and daunting. He literally could have been a professional body-builder or a wrestler. Around his forehead was a silver chain, wrapped around securely like a crown, and in between the blue eyes was a red ruby, carved into the shape of a crescent moon. This one was wielding a large, black hammer with the head of the weapon being the size of a small car.

The third person was staring at him the most hatefully, and it took Justin only a brief second before his breath caught in his throat. He recognized the man with the goatee immediately. It was the one from his nightmares, the same nightmares that haunted him ever since he was found by Allo and the Dinosaucers in the desert. Plateo, thinking the men were friendly, stood up and started walking towards them, trying to be welcoming and amiable as he tried to express thanks on his teammates' behalf.

"We do not know who you are, but your help was most timely and appreciative. Please accept our most heartiest thanks and -"

"**_Silence!!!_**" the man with the hammer snarled and with a wave of his hand, a bright, gleaming force struck the plateosuaurs Dinosaucer, sending him backwards and crashing into the ground. Sarah and Struthio rushed over to their friend's aid. David, Raptor, Bronto-Thunder, and Bonehead looked angry enough to try to attack and retaliate, but then the other man with the black axe barked at them with deadly warning.

"Do not even attempt it!"

Gideon (the man with the goatee) then narrowed his eyes at Justin, being held protectively by Allo. After a moment of deathly silence, Gideon then beamed with malicious, gruesome satisfaction.

"Hello, half-breed."

Just like his dream. It was coming true, and Justin could only quiver against the allosaurus' body as Allo held Justin even tighter.

"Don't call him that!!" flared Allo, ready to kill and fight, "Who do you think you are?!!"

"Justin, do you know him?" the Blind Master asked cautiously. Gideon then chuckled deeply.

"The little bastard child would never know me considering I was never there after he soiled the world's presence with his soul…but _I_ know of _him_. After all, I am Justin's father."

**Author's notes: "Uragirimono" is Japanese for "traitor" and the Blind Master's response, "Makeru mon ka", is Japanese for "I won't give up". Also, the phrase "Illustro orbis lux lucis claustrum!" is Latin for literally "Illuminate rings light prison!" or in this sense, "Illuminate, rings of imprisoning light!"**

**I hope this chapter was all right; I had no idea it was so difficult to write action sequences. And be prepared for the next chapter, folks, called "Revelations"!! If you were confused by the mystery of this story, all your questions will be answered, including:**

**1.) What is wrong with Justin (i.e. Why do people hate him)?**

**2.) Why is Justin considered a "half-breed"?**

**3.) What exactly is Justin's power?**

**4.) Who exactly is Gideon?**

**5.) Why are the Dinosaucers, Secret Scouts, and Blind Master the only ones who can tolerate Justin?**

**However, considering what I had written about the men and Gideon so far, I think people will be able to guess (if not Google search) which TV show I'm basing them from (and as a result, you should be able to guess what Justin's heritage is and what his powers are). However, for this story, I'm twisting the nature of Gideon a bit, but not by much because he is actually this much of a jerk! Until next Friday, read and review!**


	11. Revelations

**To all those who were expecting the chapter last Friday, I'm sorry I'm late! I got banned, and the site wouldn't let me upload a new story until today! I will continue following the Friday schedule of new chapters, but until this Friday, enjoy this semi-late chapter! Now let us learn about Justin's connection to Gideon.**

**CHAPTER 11: Revelations**

"**_WHAT??!!!_**" chorused the Blind Master, the Secret Scouts, the Dinosaucers and Allo all in unison. The Misfits, Roadblock, Spirit, Low Light, and Shipwreck just continued to glower silently at Justin, still lost in their insane rage as they were held by the incarcerating rings of light. Cover Girl was still solid stone from Bonehead's fossilizer gun. Justin turned cold with fear.

"For some reason, I'm getting a sense of déjà vu from 'Star Wars'," David moaned with a grimace.

"Who are you??" demanded Allo roughly, stunned beyond belief and growing with anger. This heartless tyrant was Justin's birth father?? The man in the silver and white robes with the goatee then pompously and coldly answered.

"My name is Gideon, the Elder and leader of my race and clan of immortals, the Whitelighters."

The Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts could not have been further shocked from this statement.

"Whitelighters?" echoed Ryan, still thinking maybe the blow to his head did something to his hearing and cognitive thought.

"_Immortals??_" echoed Montacera in the same tone of incredible disbelief and wry doubt.

"Boy, first we have mutants, then G.I. Joe soldiers, and now some white nuts saying they're immortals?! Geez, what is the _next_ two hours gonna bring?!!" groaned Bronto-Thunder.

Paul has an incredible look of confusion on his face as he repeated in a hollow, shocked tone, "But…but that is a scientific impossibility!! There is no such thing as an immortal! It is a mere myth, legends passed from ancient days!! There is no physical proof that immortals exist!"

"I assure you, you narrow-minded fool, that we are real and that we are of no myth! And you would do well to watch that tongue of yours, you dense twit!!" snarled the man with the giant, black axe next to Gideon, fingering the smooth handle as if he was itching to use the weapon in the most gruesome beheading.

Teryx then murmured to Paul thoughtfully, "Keep in mind, young one, just because certain things are no longer around us do not mean they have never existed. Simply just because you have never witnessed an immortal with your own eyes does not indicate that they are not there."

David then added thoughtfully, "Yeah, and before the media exposed them, we would have never thought mutants existed, right?"

"You have a point," groaned Paul.

Meanwhile, Allo was looking at Gideon with a mixture of shock, defensive anger and extreme loathing. He couldn't believe it. This person was Justin's biological father? This person who helped create him, was one of the sole reasons Justin even existed? Allo couldn't help but feel a chill of something foreboding, looking into the harsh eyes glaring at his son, but there was also a small feeling of protective, stubborn jealousy there as well. There was no way he would let this man, this Gideon, take away Justin. Meanwhile, most of the group standing alongside the Dinosaucer leader were still confused.

"Why did you attack Plato?! He was _thanking you_ for helping us!! He didn't do anything to warrant that he was putting you in danger!!" demanded Struthio, riled and incensed at seeing his comrade being struck for no reason.

"I can assure you, demon-spawn," snarled the man with the hammer, "we certainly did not intervene in this battle for your sakes or the half-breed's. We did it because it is only the Whitelighters that shall impose their judgment on Justin for his crimes against our bloodline!"

Everyone turned to gape shortly at the trembling Justin, who was actually looking at Gideon and his Whitelighters with wide, round eyes of innocent puzzlement. What in the world…Justin? Guilty and a criminal? Tricero, despite the bleeding gashes in his back, managed to utter hoarsely, "So you're not our allies."

Gideon replied, "Correct, desert-dweller. The being bearing the hammer that had just attacked your friend is my son, Krygaw, and he is a high-ranking immortal of law and the mystic. No knowledge of any magical arts has ever escaped him for Krygaw can sense all sorts of dark and light magic. The other beside me with the axe is Damionax, my other son, and he is the general of the Whitelighter armies and militia in my realm where I rule and reside. Together, we have arrived at this very place to proclaim our hand and to eliminate the very being that threatens the race of all Whitelighters."

"Those lights," wondered Bonehead out loud, "They're…they're exactly like Justin's powers! You have the same abilities as he does!"

Itchy crinkled his brow in confusion as he asked, "But…but you guys aren't mutants??"

Krygaw sneered, "May the fates forbid it if we should ever dwell into the filth and muck of your barbaric level."

"What do you want with Justin?" Allo demanded roughly, his voice thick and deeply animalistic.

"That is none of your concern, reptilian scum! Now get out of our way and leave us to decide Justin's fate! You have no part or say in our private affairs with this half-breed! So step aside, right now!" Instead of obeying Krygaw's request, to the insult and infuriation of the Whitelighters, none of the group moved away. If anything, the aloof demand of the Whitelighter made the Dinosaucers, the Secret Scouts and Blind Master even more defiant as stood firm, challenging.

"Like hell we will," rumbled Bronto-Thunder, his teeth bared.

"Leave Justin alone, you creep!!" demanded Montacera fearlessly as she stood from her position of squatting next to Tricero, her hands balled into fists.

Plateo, despite recovering from the intense light that struck him earlier, tried to reason heatedly, "Under what right do you have to denounce him and declare that Justin must be punished by your authority?! Justin is just an adolescent, a young child!! By no means would he ever injure or cause grievance to any person!! He's innocent of whatever crime you accuse him of! And if you claim to be such righteous servants of justice, then why did you wait so long until as of now to show yourselves?! If you truly were on the side of right, you would know that there is nothing lawful of accusing Justin of nonexistent crimes from long ago!! This isn't justice! It is plain bigotry!!"

The other Whitelighters immediately took this to offense as they became enraged at the plateosaurus' bold accusations.

"Wretched dinosaur!" shouted one furious Whitelighter wielding a dark scythe, "You dare question the royal decisions of the Whitelighters?! I'll have your head!!!"

"Whitelighters, kill them all for their treachery! Attack the scourge!! Kill the half-breed!!" Damionax ordered steely as he raised a finger and pointed at the group. With a rush, the strange, robed men in white gently levitated above the ground before rushing in the air directly at the Dinosaucers and their friends, the sun glinting off the swords and scythes and charging in with deadly speed and soundless grace. The blitz came in a full circle on all sides. There was no way they could all safely avoid the maneuvered attack.

"Aw, crap, not again!" cried out Stego as he prepared for the worst. Yet then Allo intervened one more time, knowing this would be a final resort. Without releasing his hold on his son, the brown allosaurus Dinosaucer extended the palm of his hand directly out into the open field in front as the Whitelighters approached with frightening and impeding ruin.

"**_Bryalta rusamitho qualith samasaurus!_**" Allo intoned in a voice not unlike his usual baritone, but rather ethereal, possessed, and radiating with ringing might. Teryx shrieked with fear as a male was about to bring down his scythe directly on her head, ready to cleave her entire body in two straight down her backbone. Yet, it never happened. To the shock of the Whitelighters, there was a semi-transparent shield of brown aura surrounding Justin and the rest of his friends and family as an orb of protection. It was a barrier, a force-field. And the Whitelighters could not penetrate it, no matter how hard they struck at the wall with their weapons.

Gideon, though angered, was still calm enough to say with conviction and dynamic, "Hmph, I should have known better than to not expect demon-spawn such as your pathetic races to know a few spells of magic of your own. Krygaw, sense for a weakness in the shield with your sight of the Oracles. Damionax, be ready for a second strike, and be sure not to allow yourself or your soldiers to be hindered again."

All this was quickly done without hesitation. Krygaw immediately took the ruby pendant off his forehead before swinging the stone in gentle, cyclic behavior on its silver chain in front of his face with one hand. With his pupils disappearing in a soft, white glow, the Whitelighter commander continued to probe deep within the surprising mystical force, trying to break its mystery. Damionax and his men had their weapons drawn and ready. Gideon just stood idly by with his arms crossed in front of his broad chest, his face stony and stern with a bit of disappointment from this setback. Still, it would be inevitable. No force could ever withstand the sight of his son, Krygaw. The others, still in awe at the sight, turned to Allo, questioning.

"Allo?" gasped a weakened Dimetro, "How in the name of Reptilion did you even do this??"

The allosaurus just sidelined the question, ignoring it, as he stood up, cradling his son in his arms, as he and Gideon met each others' gazes. Allo then uttered warningly, "I will not stand by and allow you people to hurt my clan and family, and as long as Justin is with me, he is under my protection. So I suggest you tell me what your business with Justin is. Attacking without reason certainly won't help you, Gideon."

The Elder raised an eyebrow sardonically. He said disdainfully, doubtful, "You expect me to be able to reason with the likes of you?"

"If your pride means that much to you, then I don't. However, what you tell me will determine his fate." Justin went white in the face at this statement, but he knew Allo would never sacrifice him willingly, so he just bit his tongue as he silently listened. The rest of the Dinosaucers, Blind Master, and the Secret Scouts also turned their weary attentions to the Whitelighter leader. Gideon frowned, but then started to talk with his voice slightly on edge.

"As I have said before, I am Gideon, the Elder and sole leader of the Whitelighters. We Whitelighters are of an ancient and immortal race, a race that coincides with the feys, the fairy folk, the demons, the angels, and the legions of descendants that stem from the powers of the mystical force that separates us from the human and mortal race. For we have lived and existed for centuries and millennia, ever since the beginning and creation of this world."

"I still cannot believe this," murmured Paul to himself.

Blind Master then whispered back, convinced, "There is more to this world than what we know of, Paul."

"Why are you here?" Raptor growled, his tail twitching in an agitated manner.

"We are here to execute the half-breed, the human child, the one you know of as Justin."

"We know that, but _why_?" the velociraptor elaborated, still not satisfied with the answer.

Gideon then said with fervent rage, "Because Justin is a threat to our race! He is a child that desecrates our noble and pure blood, solely because of the reason he exists! Because of him, our heritage will be in danger of dying out, for by the universal law of all Immortals, if a drop of human blood finds its way into an immortal's heritage, the evil of humanity causes the bloodline to grow dark, to bring the race down in ruin, strife, and destruction. As such, Justin is a parasite that can drain away everything of the Whitelighter glory."

"But…but why _now_, then?! Why did you decide to act now when Justin has lived for the past sixteen years?!" asked a horrified Bonehead.

The Elder then cursed with bitter poison, "For several reasons. By the code of the Whitelighters, I cannot perform any harm on the child unless he proves himself to be an imminent danger to myself or my tribe. Even though he is of Whitelighter descent, it is still not enough to justify to the Council that his execution is necessary. Yet now that he has shown powers beyond human capability, it is enough to warrant our actions against Justin as of now, deeming him as a threat that must be eliminated quickly. I was absolutely livid to learn that you were still alive, Justin, you miserable, troublesome cockroach. And I foolishly thought that the half-breed would have been dead already from the hate curse I placed on him the moment he was brought into this world."

The teenager's eyes went wide at this sentence. So did Allo's, shocked at what he had heard.

"What??" gasped Justin faintly.

Gideon said coldly to the young adolescent mutant, "Did it ever occur to you that having people abhor you and look down upon your filthy flesh and blood was no coincidence? Did it ever feel like you were especially burdened with the unfortunate curse of cruelty and anger whenever you met any human stranger? It was no accident, Justin. It was because of a magical spell I placed on your body on the very day you were born into this world. I placed an enchantment of hate on your disgusting soul."

Everyone's faces blanched at this. A hate curse? On Justin??

"Oh my God," whispered Sarah with revulsion and dread as she put a hand to her mouth.

"No way!" gasped Struthio.

Ryan wordlessly looked at the young boy next to him before his mind clicked. It was so hard to believe and yet…it made sense. It truly made sense. It certainly explained a lot regarding Justin's past.

"A…A spell?? There's a spell on me??! You put a curse on me??! Wh…why??" Justin asked, his voice hoarse and high-pitched with fear and astonishment.

"To punish you, of course. Did you really think that I would take pity on a bastard child such as yourself, Justin? Did you really think that I would simply leave you be and carelessly allow the day when you could truly be a threat to my kingdom and my legacy? I knew that the possibility was very real, and I was furious that I could not kill you outright. Yet the laws never stated that I could not put you under a sort of enchantment, only that I could not attempt to murder you by my own hands. So I did the next best thing. Since you would always be an outcast to the immortal race, I found it appropriate for you to be an outcast with the human race as well, so that you would never find a moment's peace and refuge. After all, if I could not exterminate you, I may as well depend on the humans to do it for me. So I placed a powerful charm of hate and anger that would cause any mortal human to instantly hate, loathe, mistreat, and damn you, Justin, up to the point of insanity and murderous desires, the instant they laid their eyes upon you. You would never be welcomed with the Whitelighters, and to ensure you would be dealt with, I made sure you would never be welcomed in the human race as well. I made you into nothing but a hate puppet."

"By the gods," Tricero managed to cough.

"That's cold," growled Struthio.

"How could you?!" gasped Teryx, her eyes quaking and shining already.

Paul's quick and rational mind then came across a hole in that logic.

"Wait a minute," Paul interrupted, "That's impossible!! If there was a hate curse on Justin, it would have affected the four of us!! But none of the Secret Scouts ever gave in to the curse!! We were immune to it!!"

"Well…**_most_** of us," muttered Sarah darkly as she glared at Ryan accusingly.

"Not now, Sarah," Ryan groaned. Gideon frowned at the Secret Scouts.

"I know not what you pitiful mortals have done to gain such an unwarranted mercy to provide for that filthy brat, but apparently, I am just as shocked, and all the more outraged, that you four have not attempted to finish off the half-breed like the rest of this sorrowful race. And I am just as curious as well. Whitelighters have been immersed in powerful magic that has existed for eons and eons, ever since the world was anew, and when the race of men were no more than a secluded waste of flesh and bone. The spell of hate I placed on Justin could not possibly be countered by any Earthly means for our power and our magic expertise is far more powerful than any source the human race could ever invent, much less dream of. So how is it that you four are able to care and love the wretch?" he asked coldly, yet with a hint of morbid curiosity.

"We don't know, and even if we did, we wouldn't tell you, you prick!" snapped Montacera.

"There is no need to question that, Elder Gideon," Krygaw then spoke from his trance, "My crystal has located the source, and it is quite surprising. It turns out that these mortals also have a powerful epicenter of magic around them, and it is not of this world, of this Earth, of this realm."

Ryan then remembered what Gabriel had said earlier when he sensed their auras, and he was further amazed to hear this being validated. David, still bruised and battered from his battle with Shipwreck, managed to give a short laugh.

"Looks like your so-called powerful spells weren't that good after all, Gideon. Hate to tell you this, but we're just ordinary humans, no more magical than some used butt-wipe. We haven't done anything involving magic, so it looks like your spell-casting abilities leave a lot to be desired."

"David…that's not…entirely true," Allo said wearily and slowly, not sure how to put this explanation delicately. Everyone stared at their leader, not sure if they were going to like what was coming.

"Allo??" Itchy managed to croak in confusion. The Dinosaucer leader winced, knowing this wasn't going to be easy to confess.

"David, Ryan, Sarah, Paul…you all really have been subjected to magical forces. I just…didn't tell because I thought it would be better had you four never known. Justin doesn't know this as well. But…it's your rings of power, the Secret Scout Rings I gave you when we first met in the desert so many years ago when you four were all teenagers and we Dinosaucers just landed on this planet. It is your rings, Secret Scouts. That is the only reason you were even able to be spared from the curse Gideon put on Justin."

In petrified disbelief, all of the Secret Scouts just gazed down on their hands, the emblem of the Secret Scout rings facing up to them, the sunlight reflecting off the smooth surface and casting little glints of white all around. Paul then spoke, "Allo…these rings are magic?! But…but that's impossible! I thought these rings were due to the extraordinary technology back at your home planet, back at Reptilion!! I mean, I'm trying to be open-minded, but having magical rings seems a bit too far-fetched!!"

"You're forgetting that I am the sole nephew of the former rulers of Reptilion, the sage Dinosorcerer and Dinosorceress, and I have remarked in the past that both of them have used powerful magic and incantations to protect and rule the planet in peace and harmony. In fact, they were the most powerful users of the mystic in our galaxy, and no mage or wizard was ever foolish enough to challenge them in a battle of magical arts and craft. Unfortunately…they had no son or daughter, no heirs to teach and pass on their knowledge to…and since I was the only dinosaur of the next family generation…"

Allo trailed off, but everyone immediately guessed the truth.

"By the mother planet, they taught you some of their magic skills?!!" Bronto-Thunder blurted out in surprise. This was a huge jolt.

"Whoa, and all this time, I thought you'd be pretty lame compared to your uncle and aunt!" Compy remarked insensitively.

"Shut up, Compy!" snapped Teryx who overheard the diminutive dinosaur.

Blind Master then realized why Allo was so secretive about the Secret Scout rings when he examined them. It also explained how Allo was even able to bequeath such instruments of power to the four humans, and why he was so pensive when Blind Master revealed that he was able to sense something different about the Secret Scouts.

Blind Master then said softly, "That was why you didn't want to tell them, because you didn't want to reveal the fact that you knew magic, wasn't it?"

Sarah was white in the face as she asked in a zombie-like mode, "You mean…if we never had these rings…if we simply just lost them or took them off…" Dear Lord, then she would have been no better to Justin than her parents, and it further made her all the more grateful.

Gideon then had a look of clarity on his face as he remarked to the Secret Scouts, "I should have known. Your damned magic is not of this realm, but of another planet, and as such, it is a different source of power and skill compared to the Gaia forces and might of earth magic. Though thankfully it was not able to suppress the spell when that half-breed wore **his** ring, the curse however was not able to overcome the layer of protection given to you four when you possessed your rings of power."

The African-American Secret Scout then turned his attention to the incarcerated Misfits in the rings of light.

"But…but mutants are of another species! Then how come they still can hate Justin like this? Gideon said that he cursed Justin to be harassed by **_humans_**, not mutants!!" Paul asked.

Blind Master then solemnly stated his guess, but deep down, he knew it could be the only reason, the only truth.

"That is one thing you have forgotten, Paul. Humans did not evolve from mutants, but mutants have evolved from humans. A mutant is basically a type of human. As such, a human and a mutant are part of the same race, of the same category of 'the mortal man', just as Gideon had intended. Even though the Misfits and Joes have some extraordinary power, they are generally human, and as a consequence, the curse would still affect them. Even for our artificially created assassin, Xi, was made from human DNA which brings forth a human soul, human blood and flesh and bone, so he too, qualifies as a mortal human even though Xi was created by unnatural means."

"So even though because mutants are different genetically…" gasped Teryx, catching on.

Raptor roughly growled, "They are still, in all senses of the word, blood brothers with the species of _homo sapiens_, and both _homo superiors_ and_ homo sapiens _would share the sole line of the human race, of the mortal ancestry. Since they are of the same family, they would both fall prey to Justin's curse."

"Wait a minute! Then how come you're not affected, Gabriel? It doesn't make any sense!" Sarah asked the G.I. Joe soldier, puzzled.

The black ninja said, "Actually, it does, Sarah. Magic, such as this, needs to affect a person both in sight and in mind, and though I can sense Justin and his presence, I cannot visually see him. Thus, it would make sense that the hate curse would not affect me such as it did with my teammates…because I cannot physically view upon your friend in order for me to hate him."

"And the Dinosaucers wouldn't be empowered by the curse either," realized David, "because they're not mortal _humans_…they're mortal _aliens_ from another world!"

"And since they're of another race entirely…it wouldn't affect them unlike all the people Justin's ever run into! That also means Gideon's magic doesn't work on them! Just like how it doesn't work on us or the Blind Master!!" Ryan guessed, dawning.

Gideon frowned resentfully. He grumbled, "Another oversight I had failed to anticipate."

Itchy then roared angrily at Gideon, red in the face, "What kind of asshole are you?! You claim yourself to be Justin's father!! Justin's your son, your flesh and blood!! How can you do this to your own child?!! How could you treat him like this?!"

"**_HE WAS BORN!!!_**" snarled Gideon, his voice now majestically and deafeningly echoing throughout the desert, "How can you fools be so blind to see this?! I do this to protect our race, to protect the holy bloodline of the Whitelighters!! Justin is an anomaly in the immortals' fates that should have never happened! Because Justin is still alive, his blood has caused our legacy to be impure, to be dirty with human filth, to be tainted with the evils of Justin's human half!! Can you fools not see?! Justin's death is the only way to right the strain of the Whitelighter bloodline, to keep it in distance from the mortal race!! And it is also to prevent the child from becoming a threat to our race as well with his damned powers!!"

"Purity?!! Purity over a bloodline?!! You mean to tell us this is all because you want to keep your race pure-blooded?!! Because you want to remain **pure**?!! That's insane!!!" shouted Stego angrily.

"All scourges can grow into deeply-rooted problems, and as such, Justin must be destroyed before he can mar our race in the distant futures," Gideon said with cold finality.

"You're wrong about that, Gideon!! Then, as of consequence, Justin **is** a Whitelighter by blood!! He still carries the legacy in his veins and flesh, so you have been tormenting the young one for nothing!! You can't possibly justify yourself of this! You're committing treason against your own kind!!" shouted Blind Master.

Damionax sneered, overhearing this outburst, "Don't make me laugh, you crippled fool! Justin is not worthy to be a member of our race because of his humanity! Because he is half-blooded!! Because he is half-human!! As such, he is not a Whitelighter, nor we will ever allow such a half-breed into our family, into our blessings!!"

"Wait a minute! Justin's **half**-Whitelighter??!!" Compy blurted out insensitively.

Damionax sneered disdainfully, "It finally took you dunces long enough to figure that one out. By the Great Immortals, and I thought calling the little whelp 'half-breed' was enough of a hint for the likes of you slow-thinking mortals."

Bonehead was piecing together the answer with growing comprehension, saying dramatically, "Wait a minute. If Gideon is Justin's father…and Justin is half-Whitelighter and half-human…and if Gideon is the Whitelighter…then doesn't that make Justin's mother…"

Justin then realized the connection.

"Mom?" he whimpered softly, "My mom…my mother, she was a mortal woman, wasn't she?"

Gideon just frowned, being silent, fuming at the reminder.

"Please, Gideon! Tell me who my mother was! Who was she?! Please, I want to know!" Justin pleaded, wringing his hands in front of him. It was always a mystery that had haunted the teenager, the never-knowing, the blank slate of his chalkboard of memories. He never knew his mother or even recalled what she was like. As long as he could recollect, Justin had always been alone and defenseless without his parents there with him. He didn't have anybody in his life before he was adopted into the Dinosaucers.

"She was no one," muttered Damionax maliciously, "At most, she was as big of a burden on this world as you are, half-breed! She was a pitiful waste of human life!!"

"How dare you!" Sarah screamed, standing up furiously and ready to rush out and slap the Whitelighter soldier with all her strength. Gideon then spoke belligerently, reluctantly.

"My son is correct, you pitiful vagabond. Your mother was simply one of my…past errors. As much as it may please you to fantasize about it, I never loved your mother nor had any feelings of devotion and affection towards her. Humans are beneath the Whitelighter race, and to associate with one like that is a sure disgrace. Even though I had committed a single act in my eons of abstinence, the fates conspired against me when I soon learned that the tramp was impregnated by my aura. Such a feat should have been impossible! Whitelighters are immortals, and as such, we cannot create brethren in such a physical manner for there never will be children or kin born of flesh and blood of a womb, but the Oracles have told me the truth, no matter how much I dreaded it. Justin was of my blood and was a part of the Whitelighter bloodline. I could not even begin to tell you how wrathful and outraged I was at such an event. It was a pure blessing when the bitch died in the hospital from complications of your birth, and I had hoped that when she died, she would take you with her. Yet you still managed to survive and was born into this world. As such, I had to do something to make sure you would follow your mother's fate."

"You tyrant!!" bellowed the wounded Tricero in rage, "The only reason Justin was born was because of your foolishness and vanity! You have no right to take it out on Justin!! He didn't ask to be come into this world!!"

"We have every right!" snapped Damionax, "Now that Justin still managed to exist, he stands in the position to truly destroy what we have upheld ever since time began! And with his unusual powers, it makes him even more dangerous!!"

"What are you complaining about?! You have the same powers as Justin does! How does that make him a threat, other than the fact he's not pure-blooded?!!" yelled Ryan angrily.

Damionax then looked slightly envious, though still just as vengefully deadly, as he remarked, "Not so, Secret Scout. We Whitelighters have the ability to heal wounds and to orb to various points around the globe by teleporting and materializing with essences of light. This is our way of transportation, our way of movement called 'orbing'. However, it seems Justin has an unusual mix: not only can **he** orb, our seers and Oracles were able to deduce that he also has the ability to orb objects to his possession!! That undeserving brat was given the blessing to use our Whitelighter auras to move and reflect anything he chooses, whether it be a physical object or an intangible entity!"

Blind Master then took note of the battle Justin had unintentionally with the Misfits and the Joes. It made sense now. Those strange flashes and sparks of light were able to engulf anything, causing it to dematerialize, and Justin, though it was not of by his will, was able to force it to reappear again, almost allowing him to throw it back. The seismic energy from Lance's tremors, Wanda's hex-bolts, the bullets from the Joes' guns…Justin could summon and deflect anything if he wanted to. No wonder the Whitelighters were threatened. And what would make this the perfect time to assassinate Justin was the fact that the teenager was not in control of his powers.

"Looks like Damionax's a little jealous," growled Bonehead.

"It is a disgrace, a mockery!!" shouted Damionax, close to losing his composure, "That whiny brat is of no royal descent, has no magical line in his family, and is not of a descendant of any powerful human witch or wizard!! By all rights, Justin should not even have had such powers in the first place!!"

"The X-Gene," breathed Paul, realizing, "_That's_ why Justin's powers were able to manifest! That's why his powers came up from the Whitelighters' blood, even though it was magically impossible! Because Justin's a mutant!"

"So his powers didn't come from magic…" Teryx realized.

Plateo finished for the female archaeopteryx , "It is because the powers manifested from the young one's genes, from his genetic structure! In other words, it is not a miracle of magic…but of science! Even though Gideon is of mystical descent, Justin's matriarch must have inadvertently passed down an X-Gene to her son, and when combined, it resulted in Justin having a mutation that is based from the power of a Whitelighter!"

Dimetro then weakly turned his head to Justin, his voice soft but still laced with wonder, "Then that means Justin…you are not only a Whitelighter…but you are a **_mutant_** Whitelighter."

"Huh?" Stego was still confused.

Montacera then hurriedly explained, "It's sort of like having a lemon and having meringue. Both are really good, but if you mix them together, you got a whole new kind of treat, a new dessert."

"Yum!" drooled Stego dumbly to himself. Plateo frowned at the young, female montanoceratops.

"That wasn't the analogy I was elaborating on," he scolded.

"Hey, he understands it now, right?" Montacera shot back rudely.

Gideon then glared at Allo, now at the end of his patience.

"I have told you my purpose and my reasons, monster," he declared in a cold voice, "and I shall further try to dissuade you from your foolish notions. Hand over the half-breed to us, and we shall keep our word that we will not perform any harm or wrongdoing to you and your allies. We shall even release the mutants and soldiers who were attacking you earlier. All their lives in return for one, pitiful life of a bastard-child. It hardly requires any thought."

Allo then stood erect, his jaw twitching at the elder Whitelighter.

"No."

Gideon was now furious, his face turning scarlet and the other Whitelighters were displaying similar faces of affront.

"You fools!! Then you shall all die alongside the half-breed!"

"Being half-human isn't necessarily a bad thing!! It's the human side that gives Justin his heart, his gentleness!" Sarah protested.

"It is also what makes him impure, what makes him a true scourge to the Whitelighter bloodline. Gentleness, compassion, _love_?! You pitiful fools!! Those are things of weakness, not worthy of being virtues upheld by the Whitelighter standards! But it comes no surprise that they are the only things the mutt would ever have of value in his life!" sneered Damionax.

"Better to be a mutt than an arrogant bastard such as yourself!" snarled the Blind Master, "Your stubborn pompousness and views of superiority only show that immortals are no better than humans!"

Krygaw then smiled as he declared with extreme satisfaction.

"I have located the pinpoint of the protective barrier, Elder Gideon, and the magic shall not last much longer. You shall be able to perform the act of judgment soon, Father." To the Dinosaucers' horror, the Whitelighter spoke the truth. Krygaw's ruby pendant began to glow even brighter, draining the energy bit by bit as he probed with his sight harder and harder, cracking the foundation. Within seconds, the sphere of light was starting to flicker, extinguishing bit by bit. Allo realized that if he didn't do something soon, his friends and family would be in extreme danger.

"**_Grybumin pevasaurus!_**" Allo chanted, and with a sharp burst, the orb maintained its hold. Allo tried to strengthen and reinforce the barrier around them, but encouraged, the other Whitelighters began striking at the screen with their black weapons, and each blow was excruciatingly felt by the allosaurus, leaving him dizzy and his willpower and strength diminishing bit by bit with each hammer and flail.

"Please, stop this!! Don't do this to Justin!!" pleaded Sarah, trying to appeal to the Whitelighters' mercy. Yet the Elder was untouched.

"I have tolerated this jabber and the half-breed's cowardly luck far too long! Justin dies…**now**." With that, Gideon produced from the sleeve of his robe a long, jeweled dagger carved from the blackest stone, shiny and smooth like quartz, yet wicked and sharper than any mere mortal blade produced from any forge. Justin whimpered. It was the last omen of his dream, his premonition of his own death. Elder Gideon saw the fear in the trembling teen, and he smirked maliciously.

"You should be afraid, you little accident."

Allo felt Justin hold on tighter to his suit of armor as the Dinosaucer glared at Gideon. Then the Blind Master, the Secret Scouts, including Ryan surprisingly, and all the other Dinosaucers all immediately flanked in front of the allosaurus and his son, wordlessly providing a secondary protective cover.

"Touch him, and we will kill you," rumbled Raptor softly, yet dangerously. Even though it may have been pointless the minute the barrier was down, it was unanimous that they would defend Allo and Justin to the end. Undaunted, the Whitelighters continued their assault, and as the other Dinosaucers conversed to each other worriedly as they witnessed the force-field weakening with each passing moment, Blind Master took Justin aside.

"Justin, there may yet be a way out of here, if you're willing to trust me."

Compy, who overheard the Blind Master, snapped in sarcastic doubt and grating wit.

"Oh yeah, and what're you gonna do?! Pray for wings to sprout from your back, and fly Justin outta here?!!" Compy snapped.

"No, but I think that if I had one of those teleporter bands that my teammates still have with them, I could use the Mass Device to take Justin out of here, take you far away from the battle! With you trying to escape, the other Whitelighters will have no choice but to pursue after you, and hopefully, they will leave your friends, your family, and the Misfits alone!" Blind Master said hurriedly.

Justin then looked at Blind Master sorrowfully before he whined, "No, I can't! It's too risky! I can't leave my family, Blind Master! I…I can't just go and let Allo and the Secret Scouts get hurt or killed."

"Justin, if Gideon or his soldiers get their hands on you, **you will die**."

"Is that really so bad, then?" Both Compy and Gabriel just stared at Justin in shock, horrified. The question was said quietly, resigned, but it couldn't have been more tragic. The teenager's eyes were wet as he numbly looked at the G.I. Joe soldier.

"At least…_that_ way, no one else would get hurt, and I wouldn't have to live with this curse anymore." Furious, Compy grabbed Justin roughly by the shoulder, hissing.

"Kid, so help me, by the mother planet, if you don't stop spewing this bullshit, I swear I'll beat you until some sense comes into ya! Just shaddup and let Blind Master help you, and stop feeling so damn sorry about your pathetic life!! Blind Master, I know I speak for all of us, including the Big Guy, when I say do whatever it takes to keep Justin safe!"

Blind Master then repeated in frustration to the compsognathus Dinosaucer, "Compy, you're forgetting I can't do anything yet!! Not even my ninja skills can fight against a group of magical immortals!! The only thing that can buy Justin some time is that if I had one of those teleporter-watches from my allies!! But I cannot leave the shield Allo placed over us!"

Compy then removed an object from his pocket of his uniform and held it out to the ninja master. Justin gasped as he saw it. It was another wristband of the Mass Device, with the straps of the communicator recklessly and awkwardly torn apart, as if ripped off forcibly.

"I managed to take this one from one of those Trinity girls when they jumped me earlier," Compy explained, as, at the same moment, the field of force suddenly collapsed, fading into nothingness, leaving everyone protected by the sphere completely vulnerable. Allo sank to his knees in exhaustion, nearly passing out, the strain too much for him to take.

Blind Master snatched the communicator-teleporter wristband from the dinosaur gratefully as the Whitelighters then again sent another wave of magic force crashing against the resistance, sending many of them flying, though several quick enough such as Struthio, Raptor and Sarah were able to dodge the attack, and with a vengeance, they set themselves onto Damionax and Krygaw, brawling and lashing. The other Whitelighters were surprised to find out that the Dinosaucers and Secret Scout simply got back up without much pause and flung themselves, brawling, at the Immortals. Despite their injuries, Justin's family were no pushovers or quitters.

Within seconds, General Hawk's irate and pensive voice emerged from the transmission speaker the minute the ninja activated it.

"Damn it! What is with you girls?! Report, Private Trinity!!"

"Hawk, it's me, Blind Master!"

"Gabriel, what the hell is going on?!! What the blue blazes is going on over there?!! **Report!!**"

"We're under attack! I need permission to place a child, a mutant, under solitary confinement and lockdown back at the Pit where no one can find him!!"

Thankfully, General Hawk didn't ask why, but he still briskly and sternly asked more questions, which was starting to become nerve-racking considering that the battle was going quite badly for the Dinosaucers. Every second spent just brought Justin closer and closer to his demise by his own race.

"Gabriel, where are the rest of the Misfits?! And for that matter, who's attacking?!! Is it the Dinosaucers?!"

"General Hawk, now's not the time -"

"Blind Master, **_report_**!!"

"General, it is not the Dinosaucers, but it is a magical race of immortals known as Whitelighters! They're attacking us because the Dinosaucers have been protecting a mutant child named Justin for the past ten years! Justin is the reason the Dinosaucers have not surfaced for the past decade, and not only is Justin a mutant, he's also half-Whitelighter!!"

There was a small intake of surprise as General Hawk asked, "Did you just say _Whitelighters_?"

"General, please, listen to me!! Justin needs to be in solitary confinement and lockdown until we can help him!! He's under some sort of enchantment or curse that causes every human around him to try to kill him, and the Misfits were subjected to the curse!! General, I need to take Justin back to the Pit before the Whitelighters and Misfits kill him and the Dinosaucers!! He needs help, and we need to break the curse on the Misfits!"

There was nothing but a wrenching silence from the communicator, and Blind Master knew that General Hawk must have had trouble believing what he was being told. Hell, if the tables were turned, Blind Master himself, despite what he had seen throughout his lifetime, would have been slightly skeptical. The ninja master then tried again.

"General Hawk, do you read me? Blind Master reporting! General! Look, I know this seems unbelievable, but -!!"

"The leader of these Whitelighters is named Elder Gideon, isn't he?" General Hawk asked quietly, but his voice was so calm and solemn that it was able to stop Blind Master with his tirade, pausing the repetition of previous information.

"Wha-…uh…affirmative…but…but how on Earth did you -?!!"

"Blind Master, I need you to teleport back to the Pit ASAP without Justin and take me to Gideon."

"General?!!" Blind Master could not have been further floored. Justin and Compy's jaws also dropped at the request. The General actually wanted to put himself into this mess? It was like marching up towards the lion's mouth, unarmed and strutting all the way.

"Soldier, that's an order!"

"But, General, Justin's curse…it'll affect you as well!"

"Gabriel, Justin's life and the Dinosaucers' lives will be on the line if I cannot get there in time, along with the Misfits and their handlers. Take me to Gideon immediately. Is there a possible way to shield myself from the curse on Justin?"

Both Compy and the Blind Master then had the solution hit them simultaneously as they stared back at the Secret Scout who just looked at them, puzzled.

Amidst the fighting, Gideon calmly strolled along the battlefield, knife in hand, his eyes scanning the land for his target. He was immensely pleased when he saw the boy kneeling next to a small lizard and the blind cripple before the solider immediately disappeared into thin air. Though a bit nonplussed, Gideon had no fear. As long as the G.I. Joe soldier didn't take the wretched brat with him, Gideon couldn't have cared less.

Justin turned around, only to fearfully see that Gideon was only mere feet away from him.

"Are you ready to die for your sins against our race, half-breed? Oh come now, don't act like such a coward. I promise I shall make your death as quick and painless as I can."

"Justin, quick, get outta here!! Try to teleport yourself!!" Compy shouted encouragingly.

"I can't!! I don't know how to!!" cried Justin as he tried to willfully summon the auras again, but there was only a faint glimmer of sliver and white outlining his body before it disappeared again. Justin failed to orb away from Gideon. Compy then ran directly at the Elder, claws and teeth ready.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!!!" barked Compy as he tried to tackle Gideon, but with a fling of his hand, a strange myriad of rings of illumination emerged before binding Compy helplessly to the floor. The Dinosaucer cursed every four-lettered profanity he could think of as Gideon raised the knife. Justin was too scared to move. There was a sudden blur as a heavy mass then leapt in front of Justin, shielding him.

It was Allo.

"My, my, my…" sneered Gideon in a pompous, degrading air, clearly not the least bit scared at the sight, "It appears the half-breed has made a surrogate father with this…monstrosity."

"Get the hell away from my son," growled Allo dangerously, his eyes flashing red.

"If anyone is the monster around here, it's _you_, Gideon," a battered Ryan managed to utter with controlled fury as a Whitelighter pinned him down painfully on the sand, the immortal's foot pressing down with agonizing pressure on Ryan's neck. Allo then tried to rush at the immortal by clawing his head off with one swipe, but with a flash, Gideon orbed out of reach, leaving the Dinosaucer to only strike thin air.

"Wha -?!" but Allo realized his mistake too late as Gideon orbed directly in front of the Dinosaucer's chest. There was a swift, black haze.

Justin could hear screams of pain and anguish before he was able to comprehend that the wails were his own as he saw Gideon stab his father directly in the chest, ruthlessly bringing forth a waterfall of blood from the allosaurus' ribcage. Stunned, Allo could only quake slightly before he toppled over, his body twitching as the blood was already starting to pool around his body. It was a fatal stab to the heart, and given that the dagger was made by dark magic, it was surely lethal as well. Justin was now inconsolable, sobbing with great sorrow and pain. The Secret Scouts and other Dinosaucers were also stunned, crestfallen and in grief at the sight of Allo dying. Even Raptor was pained.

Gideon then addressed to his men, giving a final order.

"Kill them all. Both the half-breed's family and those mutants we earlier imprisoned."

"Please, don't hurt them!! Please!! I'll do whatever you want!!" Justin was now on his knees, trying to beg for Gideon's mercy as he kept crying.

"Nothing you say can dissuade me, half-breed! It is finished! I just wanted to take delight at seeing you watch your own demonic father die before you and your pathetic band of friends join him!"

"That is enough Gideon. Justin shall not die on this day," a voice of steel and authority rang out strongly behind.

The Whitelighters, the Dinosaucers, the Secret Scouts and Justin turned to the voice, stunned. There, standing before them, was the Blind Master and General Hawk of G.I. Joe. Hawk was wearing Justin's Secret Scout ring, the band of energy that protected him from Gideon's curse placed on Justin. Hawk, with crossed arms, just glared at Gideon. Damionax was adamant.

"How dare you speak to the Elder Gideon in such a tone, you impudent mortal?! I'll have your tongue -!!"

"Damionax, silence!!" snarled Gideon at his son. Damionax mulishly backed off. The Elder of the Whitelighters than finally spoke.

"Hello, General Hawk," Gideon said coldly.

"Hello, Elder Gideon," Hawk said just as icily.

**Author's note: Yep, turns out General Hawk's full of surprises! Check back Friday for the next chapter, but the danger is far from over, and the Misfits will actually get a chance to help the Dinosaucers this time! Oh, and special thanks to review Dru for guessing right! Whitelighters are from the TV show "Charmed", and Gideon was actually the Elder of the Whitelighters! And asha-man72 was right in that it is the same Elder Gideon and the Whitelighter in the TV series "Charmed", but I'm just twisting the universe a bit to fit with Red Witch's Misfit-verse. "Charmed" and all references and characters used are property of Aaron Spelling. And yep, now you know what the deal with Justin is! If you're still confused, Justin's power is based off Paige's power since in the series, she too is half-Whitelighter. Until then, read and review!**


	12. Healings and Offers

**Author's note: I'm so sorry I was late! I was busy at a Christmas party on Thursday and I didn't have time to write and post things on the Internet! But I'm only half-hour late before Christmas Day! Merry Christmas, everyone! Here's my present to you all!**

**CHAPTER 12: Healings and Offers**

"That's General Hawk??" Stego gasped, hardly able to believe it.

"General…?" asked a stunned Blind Master, "But…how…you two know each other??"

"Let's just say Gideon owes me a favor," Hawk said enigmatically as he glared at Gideon who was now actually looking murderously anguished and scandalously indignant. If it was possible for anger to boil blood, Gideon's would be overflowing madly.

David was floored, beyond incredulous, as he stuttered, "An army general?? On **_our_** side??! And he knows about the Whitelighters?!!"

General Hawk gave David a reassuring glance of truth.

"G.I. Joe has seen and witnessed its fair shares of things beyond human belief, Mr. McLagan."

Meanwhile, Krygaw and Damionax were befuddled and impatient. At the sight of the Elder ceasing his cause, the rest of the Whitelighter army followed suit, afraid that if they struck the Dinosaucers and their friends before Gideon could, they would be inadvertently undermining the Elder's authority. This pause infuriated the two immortal sons of Gideon. They were so close to eliminating their half-brother and securing their places as Gideon's left and right hands of the thrones of the Whitelighter kingdom. So why was their father stopping the attack?

Gideon's voice was haggard, ragged in breathing, as he forcefully hissed, "This is none of your concern, Hawk. You have no say in this."

General Hawk seemed mildly amused, if not smug, as he said, "The Council wouldn't seem to think so, especially since I now invoke the Oath of Abraham."

There was a hushed silence on the battlefield, and every person's attention was now focused on Elder Gideon who, if it even was possible, was further outraged. The leader of the Whitelighters was no fool; he knew exactly well what the G.I. Joe general would ask for.

"Father!" exclaimed Krygaw in shock, "You promised this mortal and swore to him the _Oath of Abraham_?!!"

"What's going on?" Bronto-Thunder whispered.

"I think we're about to find out," murmured Montacera, "but I can tell you one thing: Gideon doesn't look too happy about this."

"When I gave that vow to you, it was in haste," Gideon groused to the G.I. Joe general, shaking violently, "Hawk, I beseech you, to use the Oath of Abraham for something else, at some other time. I can give you riches, powers, command over invincible armies, comforts beyond your wildest dreams…just do not interfere with this moment. I can't grant what you will ask for! I will not allow it!!"

General Hawk didn't even bat an eye at the high-pitched timbre of Gideon's wrath.

"As tempting as that may be, you know the rules better than I do. And the law of the Whitelighters and Council of Immortals clearly states that the Oath of Abraham must be fulfilled whenever called on. And right now, I could honestly say I don't give a damn how you feel about it, just as how I know you don't give a damn about me, Gideon. But when you threaten the lives of the Misfits and Joes, people who are under _my_ command and ward…**_that's_** when I give a damn."

Gideon was backpedaling furiously as he clarified, "You are obviously a victim of a grave misunderstanding, my dear Hawk. I would have never laid a single hand on those mutants' heads had I known you were so protective of them. I will gladly release them back into your custody with full pardon."

"He's lying, the two-faced slag!!" Compy yelled out while still incarcerated by the rings pinning him to the sandy floor.

"Don't listen to him, Hawk!! He would have killed them along with Justin and us! He already stabbed Allo!!!" Itchy hollered, but a Whitelighter nearby angrily rammed the pummelstone on the butt of his black sword into Itchy's stomach, causing the Dinosaucer to sink to his knees in pain, wincing.

"Relax, Dinosaucers," General Hawk replied, "I know what Gideon is capable of, and I'm not exactly stupid enough to rely on just his word. And I also trust the testimony of the Blind Master, considering that he witnessed what you planned to do to Justin and what little family has is blessed with."

"The fool is obviously lying," sneered Damionax disdainfully, "after all, you cannot exactly trust a **crippled** mortal to tell you an unbiased fabrication."

One bold Whitelighter then shouted angrily, "Elder Gideon, why must we tolerate this garbage?!! This General Hawk has no command over us or our actions!! He cannot do anything to stop us even if he wished it!! We owe no allegiance to him or any of his pitiful kind!! We can do whatever we please with the half-breed and his family! Surely the Council can overlook your debt to such an insignificant cretin!"

"Silence, Uriah!!" snapped Gideon sharply, and all the Whitelighters knew that Gideon was like a caged animal huddled in the corner, defensive and desperate for a way out of this fiasco without losing his pride and dignity. Unfortunately, there was only one solution, and Gideon was extremely loathed to take it.

Hawk then ordered steely, "Under the Oath of Abraham, I, General Hawk, ask Elder Gideon of the Whitelighters to repay a debt of the past. My request is for the hate curse to be lifted off Justin, the mutant child of the Dinosaucers, and to be left alone to live a peaceful life with his friends and family."

The crescendo of angry voices of protest from the Whitelighters was loud enough to boom and echo throughout the desert mountains, and it nearly caused those witnessing this exchange to go deaf.

"No way General Hawk can expect the scum-bag to keep that promise!" Itchy muttered during the uproar.

Ryan then said thoughtfully, "I dunno, Itchy. This Oath of Abraham seems like a big deal to Gideon. He seemed so desperate to bargain with Hawk about it. I think that if Hawk's making a request right now, Gideon has no choice but to follow it."

Raptor then roughly muttered, "I agree with Ryan. Pride and honor may be the Whitelighter's downfall, but it may also be our trump card. Gideon would rather let Justin live than admit to his kingdom and to the other immortal races that he refused to uphold the laws he boasts so much about, that he is powerless to even grant the wish of a mortal human. There's too much at stake for that. The Elder knows that, and so does Hawk. If Gideon doesn't let Justin live, he loses the honor and respect of the leader of the Whitelighters."

"You're the **_last_** one to talk about pride and honor, Tyrannos!" snapped Bronto-Thunder irritably.

"Stuff it, dino-pig," Raptor shot back.

"Go play in a lava-pit, chopper-face!" Bronto-Thunder grumbled.

"Not now, you two! Honestly, Raptor, if it isn't Compy, if it isn't Itchy, then it's Bronto-Thunder!" Paul griped through clenched teeth.

The velociraptor sniffed, "I daresay I cannot help it if I'm constantly surrounded by brain-dead idiots whose sole reasons of being on the Dinosaucers are due to pity of a soon-to-be-deceased allosaur!"

"Why you little, smart-mouthed -!" Bronto-Thunder hissed as he was about to grab Raptor by the throat and wring him by the neck before planning to slam Raptor's skull to the ground like a basketball. Itchy and Compy looked like they too were ready to join in the beat-down. Luckily enough, Struthio, Teryx and Plateo managed to intervene before things got ugly, angrily shushing them as the rest of the group focused on listening to the furious debacle between Hawk and Gideon all the meanwhile.

"There is no way we will let that bastard child live!" howled one Whitelighter solider furiously.

"Hearsay, my Lord! The mortal speaks of hearsay!!" shouted another.

"My Lord, do not grant such a decree!! It would be disastrous, intolerable!! Our race will surely perish if that half-breed survives!!" bellowed a Whitelighter, so outraged, he threw his scythe down to the sand. Damionax decided to act now before it was too late. With a rush, the son of the Elder rushed directly towards Justin with his axe bared and poised for a single, quick attack. The mutant teenager was now on his knees, sobbing uncontrollably, next to the slowly-dying form of Allo, the Dinosaucer's blood forming a pool around him and his son, the dinosaur's hand twitching weakly in Justin's. It would be swift and final.

"Justin!" shrieked Teryx and Sarah as Damionax was about to perform the execution. The Whitelighter had darted so fast and suddenly, none of the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts could do anything to stop Damionax, though Raptor, Blind Master and Struthio attempted to intercept the immortal with a scurry of their feet. Unfortunately, the two Dinosaucers and ninja master would never reach Justin in time.

"Jus…tin…" Allo managed to weakly croak, and the teenager managed to look up only to see fleeting moments of the downward path of the axe descending to his skull. Giving a single whimper, Justin shut his eyes and cringed with his hands brought to his temples instinctively, as a feeble attempt to lessen the incoming pain or as some sort of protection, unaware his fear just jump-started another rush of adrenaline and impulse.

Within a split-second, the axe disappeared within a plethora of white lights and sparks before it completely orbed out of Damionax's hands, leaving him weaponless, and the only thing that struck Justin was a small gust of air from the Whitelighter's passing hand. With another flash, the axe appeared next to Justin, materializing out of a cloud of holy luminescence before flying directly towards the soldier in an ironic twist. Bewildered, Damionax managed to orb out of the way of the weapon, yet he was unable to prevent the weapon from wounding him. With a hiss, Damionax reappeared again in front of Justin, holding his forearm gingerly, and Justin, to his amazement, could see telltale drops of blood trickling from the cracks of the Whitelighter's fingers. The Whitelighter had been injured…by his own weapon. The black, deadly axe was now lying in the ground with the head embedded into the sand. The very weapon Damionax was about to attack Justin with was simply turned against him, reflected back like all the other attacks the Misfits used against Justin previously before.

Damionax turned to Justin with absolute venom and vengeance, his blue eyes blazing with cold fire.

"You damned son of a bitch. No one has ever managed to disarm me from my axe," he said in a low voice, dripping with malice.

"There's a first time for everything," shot back Ryan.

The Whitelighters were stunned at the debacle. Damionax was one of the greatest warriors to ever grace the Whitelighter race, the sole commander of hundreds of soldiers and armies, fearless, undefeated, and a proud champion. To be thwarted by a pitiful half-breed child was surely an ultimate humiliation. Justin was immediately frightened.

"I'm…I'm sorry!" Justin gasped fearfully, "I didn't mean to! It was an accident!"

Assured and relieved, General Hawk then turned his attention back to Gideon.

"Looks like fate certainly has ways of screwing you over, considering that Justin's powers of telekinetic orbing have managed to protect him thus far."

"**Telekinetic **orbing??" Dimetro asked, confused, overhearing this.

"I've heard of telekinesis, but _that's_ a new one," Tricero frowned, his pain momentarily forgotten.

"I guess it's the Whitelighter blood in him that makes it so different," murmured Montacera who was still by Tricero's side.

Gideon, however, was still dragging his feet, unwilling to follow the code of honor.

"I will not grant such a request, General Hawk. Can you realize what his existence would mean to me and my people? Our lineage has been tainted with, cracked and broken! With his bloodline, he could be the doom that could wipe out the Whitelighter race and extinguish the holy light of the immortals! Our race must remain pure to survive!!"

General Hawk then gave a smug grin as he highlighted, "I can't say I buy that bullshit. Your race was hardly 'pure' to begin with. I believe that Justin is hardly the first one of your…'oversights'. After all, if I recall my knowledge correctly, wasn't there another one of your past mistakes that you allowed to live due to circumstances beyond your control? Let me clarify: do the names Paige Matthews and Wyatt Matthew Halliwell ring any bells?" **(See Author's note)**

Gideon turned absolutely purple with rage as he hissed furiously, "How did you know about _them_??"

"You'd be surprised how extensive and thorough G.I. Joe observes and investigates strange phenomena, Gideon. We may be mortal, but we aren't stupid."

"Sounds like Gideon and his Whitelighters have been _very _busy," David smirked.

Stego frowned as he tried to make sense of it all. He asked with disbelief, "Wait a minute! So there are other Whitelighter half-breeds out there?!"

"Stego! Don't use _that_ term!" scolded Sarah, and the stegosaurus immediately looked remorseful. However, he was still puzzled from the revelation, and he wasn't the only one.

Plateo then asked, "But…but if Justin is not the only hybrid of a Whitelighter and a mortal human being…then why in the name of Reptilion is he being singled out for such abominable treatment and punishment?!"

Hawk then answered with revulsion, "That's because the other children were from other Whitelighters, or lesser Whitelighters of importance and rank, if you will. Justin, however, is of Gideon's blood, so that makes him the illegitimate son of the very leader of the Whitelighters, the Elder himself. That's why he was torturing the kid so much…because Elder Gideon has a personal vendetta against him. After all, it'll be a real royal scandal, to know that the very leader and ruler of the Whitelighters has allowed himself to integrate with the common, inferior humans, who are neither witches nor wizards or anything that they deem important."

Elder Gideon looked wrathful enough to kill every single person in the desert witnessing this.

"Wait, Justin's royalty?" Itchy gaped.

Struthio then looked at Justin in awe before saying, "Then…in a twisted sort of way, you'd be some kind of prince."

Plateo then remembered that Krygaw and Damionax were Gideon's own sons.

"And that would also highlight that the Whitelighters, Krygaw and Damionax, would be your half-brothers," the Dinosaucer remarked quietly.

Now Krygaw and Damionax looked angry enough to kill, with Krygaw silently fuming and Damionax appearing tormented enough to explode. General Hawk then said in a final tone, "Well, Gideon, I'm waiting. I already invoked the Oath of Abraham, and by your laws, you have to keep your promise. After all, the Council of Immortals would already sense what has just happened here, so they'd be a bit miffed if you broke the very laws they created. Keep in mind, Gideon…you're not the only immortal leader in this world, and not every immortal shares your beliefs of pure blood."

There was a gut-wrenching silence. Then, with great torment and agony, a red-faced Gideon then intoned in a powerful, quivering voice:

_What has been cast,_

_Must now be undone._

_Release this curse_

_From the impure son._

_Sadness, isolation, spite, and misery…_

_The spell is broken,_

_Your suffering has ended,_

_Do as you will and as you please. _

With a soft glimmer, Justin's body was outlined with a strange purple haze before it died, fading away into nothingness. His heart pounding, Justin just knelt there in the sand, stunned and frightened. What if it didn't work? What if it was too good to be true? Would this truly end the suffering Justin had gone through for so long?

David then managed to do a very risky yet noble thing. Steeping directly in front of the adolescent and fixing his eyes on Justin, the raven-haired adult took a deep breath before removing his Secret Scout Ring from his finger. There was a collective gasp from all around as David and Justin locked eyes.

A full second passed, then two, then three.

Justin felt incredibly cold as he continued to stare at his friend…until David then let out a huge, warm grin, his eyes twinkling.

"Kid, you're free," he said. Upon hearing this, Sarah, Paul and Ryan followed David example, and to their joy, they found he was telling the truth. Even without the protection of the Secret Scout Rings, they only looked upon Justin and saw nothing but the innocent, gentle teenager they had all known and loved, without hate, horror, or revulsion of any sort.

"Oh Justin!" Sarah cried out with joy as she enveloped Justin in a hug.

"The curse…it's broken! It's really broken!!" Paul laughed, his voice shaking with excitement.

Ryan didn't say anything, partly because he was still ashamed, but he gave Justin a much relived smile of happiness and thankfulness, without any bitterness.

They weren't the only ones. With a soft _pop_, the rings of light that were binding Compy, the Misfits, and the Joes soldiers disappeared. With a soft landing, all the Misfits and their parents were staring upon the scene with dazed looks and amazement.

"Whoa, what happened?" groaned Fred as he stood up, wobbly and holding a hand to his dizzy head, with Lina trying her best to support her friend from stumbling back onto the sand.

"Oh my God, what were we doing?!!" Wanda gasped as the memories of what she did under the curse came rushing back into her consciousness.

The Dinosaucers were still a bit wary around the mutants who had previously tried to kill them, but now they began to lessen their guards as Bonehead asked, "You…you guys remember? You remember what you did??"

Wavedancer nodded, white in the face at the thought of how she nearly killed her sensei, the Blind Master. Xi was actually trembling, one of the few times he had ever shown fear and helplessness. Toad then turned to Ryan and Dimetro, his yellow eyes full of regret and with the air of a meek puppy-dog, harmless and in a way, sort of cute.

"We're sorry, yo. We didn't mean to attack you Dinosaucers and all."

Ryan then nodded his acceptance, and Dimetro shakily managed to smile.

Avalanche then asked worriedly, "Is Justin all right? He's not hurt is he??"

Struthio shook his head, but he said worriedly, "Physically, no…but…"

The struthiomimus then indicated to the fallen Allo with a nod of his head, and the Misfits and Joes saw that Justin was still heavily grieving at his slowly-dying father lying beside him.

"No," murmured Spirit with dread, blanching at the sight.

Meanwhile, Krygaw, Damionax and the other Whitelighters were extremely vengeful and feeling cheated. Helpless, they all could only listen to their Elder as Gideon then commanded, "Whitelighters…return back to our realm."

With thousands upon thousands of beautiful, sparkling flashes and miniature lights of the holiest silver and white, the Whitelighters orbed away, disappearing from this God-forsaken mud-planet. Yet before Gideon disappeared, he shot a hateful look upon General Hawk, the Misfits, the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts before pointing a quivering, loathing-filled finger at Justin.

"This is far from over, Justin," Gideon hissed, "You may be banished from our holy kingdom, but I shall not rest until I can laugh with joy upon seeing your miserable grave. Mark my words, you damned half-breed, there **_will_** be a reckoning."

"Hey, what about Allo, you bastard?!!" yelled Shipwreck angrily, "You just stabbed him!! Get back here and fix up the damage you did to the kid and his father!!!"

Gideon then smirked as he orbed away wordlessly, leaving them with the current problem unresolved. At least he made sure that one aspect of the half-breed's life would be ruined.

"That double-crossing, self-righteous asshole!!" Blind Master swore, his hand clenched around his cane in rage. General Hawk sadly shook his head.

"He wouldn't have healed Allo, Gabriel. It was difficult enough to get Gideon to coincide with the Oath of Abraham, and even then, I wasn't sure if the Elder would comply with it, considering how much he hates Justin."

"Actually, General…how did you even manage to get Gideon to make that promise to you in the first place?"

General Hawk sighed, "Long story short, I ran into Gideon before and I did something that put him in my debt. I also had to promise not to expose the Charmed ones as well."

"The Charmed ones??" Blind Master asked, bewildered.

"Let's leave it alone and say that they need to stay secret, Gabriel." And that ended the conversation.

Concurrently, the G.I. Joe sniper, Low Light, was already next to the petrified, stone form of Cover Girl, still fossilized in the unmovable state. Low Light then turned to the wounded Itchy and Bonehead, remembering that they had the weapons that turned her into this form, so it was possible they had a way to reverse the process.

"Please," Low Light croaked hoarsely and jadedly, "Help her."

Though Itchy looked far from complying, Bonehead nodded to the G.I. Joe soldier without much convincing as he took out his fossilizer gun, reversed the polarity of the terra-energy, and pointed it at the statue of Cover Girl before firing another beam of power. The converting forces illuminated the rock figure briefly before the dead, brown walls and surfaces faded, transmogrifying back into human flesh and blood. With a small gasp, a weakened yet fully-restored Cover Girl managed to topple backwards in shock before Low Light caught her in his strong arms, nearly out of his mind with worry.

"Low Light?" Cover Girl murmured weakly. The sniper just gave a grim smile as he held his girlfriend's petite hand into his callused, gloved one.

"'Bout time you got off your lazy butt, Courtney. It's bad enough you couldn't handle your own against a Dinosaucer and had to leave the fighting to me, as usual," he snickered. Cover Girl gave a playful frown as she gave Low Light a light punch to the chin, allowing her to get up from the ground on her own.

"Don't make me force-feed you sand until you barf your guts out, wise-guy. So what the hell happened to me? And what happened here??"

While Low Light gently tried summarizing the whole transaction of events, most of the group was sadly gathered around Justin and his father.

"Allo…" sobbed Justin as he hugged his guardian's body close, not caring if he got the Dinosaucer's blood onto his sweater. Dimetro, now even further weakened up to the point of collapsing from Toad's poisonous slime, was trying to check on his leader's vital signs as best as he could.

"His pulse is weak, erratic," panted Dimetro, "And he's lost a lot of blood, too much to make an effective blood transfusion. And with it being a stab wound directly into the heart…I'm sorry, Justin. I cannot do anything."

"No!! Dimetro, please do **_something_**!!" Justin shouted hysterically, wailing, "Don't give up on him!! Save him!! Do something, **_anything_**!! Please!!! Just save Allo!!"

Dimetro then gave the teenager a look of pity and helpless grief as he repeated, "Justin, I can't. **_I can't do anything for him."_**

"Wait, what about Lifeline back at the Pit?!" Shipwreck exclaimed, "He can heal Allo, can't he?! All we have to do is teleport him over here!!"

Spirit shook his head, saying "Lifeline is on another mission with several Joes to investigate a strange sighting of the Dreadnoks and the Cobra B.A.T.S. somewhere in the rainforests near Buenos Aires. We can't possible locate him in time nor can we risk jeopardizing the other Joes during their mission. And Bree is back at the base, but she does not have healing powers like Lifeline."

"Dragonfly, what about your training?!" Wanda asked Lina, desperate to find a solution, "Can't your healing silk and the stuff you shoot out of your mouth patch up the stab wound, stop the bleeding?!"

Dragonfly shook her head miserably as she confessed powerlessly, "It wouldn't do much, especially since all it can do is slow the bleeding down, but a puncture to the heart is too severe for my silk to heal! With all the time that passed, Allo is suffering from the shock of the blood loss and internal bleeding, things that would require immediately attention, not a simple patch-job!! And my silk can't undo the damage Allo already suffered!!"

"And we can't send him to your medical bay at G.I. Joe headquarters," wheezed Dimetro additionally, "I'd doubt your team of medical staff could ever be familiar enough with dinosaur anatomy to help him, not to mention Allo wouldn't be able to survive such an excursion. He won't even be able to make the trip to the medical bay in the Lavadome…that is, whatever's left of it after the attack by Avalanche."

"Nice going, Lance," groaned Pietro disdainfully as he surveyed the smoking, wreckage of the Dinosaucer base that was desecrated from Lance's tremors and seismokinesis.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! I was under a curse!" Lance shot back heatedly.

"In more ways than one," muttered Fred with a roll of his eyes. Justin, was still inconsolable.

"So there's nothing that can save him? I can only just sit here and watch him die?!!" he sobbed.

"No, you can still save your father, Justin."

This came from General Hawk as he knelt down as looked at the tearful, broken teenager straight in the eye, stern and intense.

General Hawk continued, "Justin, if don't want to lose Allo, then listen to me: you can still help him and your family, you can still save them, but you have to use your powers of healing."

"What?!" Tricero managed to wheeze.

"Justin, you heard Gideon tell you that all Whitelighters have the ability to orb and heal wounds. I know this is true after my run-in with Gideon and his clans, so that means since you are of Whitelighter descent, you also have the power to heal."

The mutant teen was speechless momentarily.

"But…but I don't know how! I don't even know if I have it, if I can do it!" Justin whimpered.

"This is where the Triplets can help you on that one," General Hawk said mysteriously as a bewildered Daria, Quinn, and Brittney came up alongside Hawk. Some of the Dinosaucers, especially Compy, were dubious if not wary.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Compy protested gratingly, "Back up there for a second! Look, I'm all for helping and saving Allo's life here, but even I know that there's gotta be something fishy when using those three girls for whatever slag you have in mind, General!!"

"Compy, what other choice to we have?" Tricero then choked.

Raptor then spoke in the closest tone to pleading he could manage, "Justin, Hawk, do whatever it takes. Quickly. _Now_."

Quinn then asked with a hand over her chest, her nervousness being apparent, "But General, what do you want us to do?! We don't know anything about healing!"

"And our psychic powers can't mend injuries! At best, we could probably use telepathy to help Allo not feel any pain when he dies," Brittney added, which brought a soft wail from Justin when he heard that.

"Nice going, big-mouth!" Daira snapped at her sister.

Hawk then commanded to the Delgado Triplets, "Trinity, I need all of you to use your ability of psychic imprints on Justin, to help him harness his power of healing."

"What?!!" chorused several in disbelief. Hawk then turned to Justin as Trinity gathered behind the Secret Scout.

Hawk explained carefully, "Justin, I'm going to get Trinity to use their psychic powers and telepathy to leave an imprint in your mind, to give them a chance to explore your consciousness and mind. My guess is that you do have the power to heal Allo but you aren't even aware that you have it nor do you have the ability to summon it to use. This is where Trinity comes in. Mutant powers are partly based from the inner willpower, from your mind, when your brain sends a conscious signal to your body to invoke it. If Trinity can delve deep into your being, they may be able to help you control the inner power and use it to save your father. In other words, the power of healing is behind a locked door and Trinity has the key to help you unlock it."

"It's a long shot…but it just might work," commented Paul worriedly.

"Justin, just try it. You know we're behind you one-hundred percent," Ryan offered supportively. Sarah and David looked at Ryan wordlessly, but with some cheerful elation.

White in the face, Justin nodded, saying, "I'll do anything to save Dad."

General Hawk then gently ordered to the four mutants, "Justin, place your hands over Allo's wound, close your eyes, and concentrate." Justin followed without hesitation. Hawk then said, "Trinity, use your powers and help Justin try to call forth his powers. See if you can help him realize how to heal Allo. It's now or never, girls."

Also nervous and slightly fearful of failure, Daria, Quinn, and Brittney placed their hands on Justin's head, their eyes turning white with no pupils and their fingers glowing with a soft, radiating glimmer as they gingerly touched Justin's pounding head, the mutant teenager slightly quivering at the touch.

"This won't hurt, Justin, but you must not be afraid. You must not falter. Just trust us and trust yourself," Blind Master whispered as he knelt down next to Justin in emotional support. Justin just silently nodded as he cupped his hands tightly over Allo's wound, feeling his father's hard chest struggle to rise and fall with each weak breath of oxygen in his dying lungs. Trinity was actually diving deeper and deeper into Justin's psyche, the memories of pain and tragedy floating around at every turn. It was like diving into an ocean in the pitch-black of night with orbs and orbs of people screaming, yelling, cursing, and ranting in anger and hate floating around serenely like florescent jellyfish. The further Trinity pushed with their telepathy, the more Justin wanted to stop, to turn back. The horror of the memories and images were almost too much to bear. In understanding, Blind Master placed his strong hand over Justin's, the comforting touch jerking the teenager back to his senses, the both of them pressing over Allo's stab wound.

"I'm so scared…" Justin hissed in pain.

"Don't be," Blind Master said softly as he gave Justin's hand a gentle squeeze.

_So if we find the door to Justin's healing power, do we pick at the lock, ram it down, or just use a blowtorch?_ Justin heard Quinn intone in his head telepathically. Before Justin could think of how absurd that just sounded, he then felt a surge of warmth, of power, radiating from the very core, his very center.

_Oooooh, lookit all the pretty lights_, Brittney echoed in Justin's mind.

_Jackpot_, crowed Daria.

General Hawk then smiled with great relief and peace as he murmured simply as Justin's hands began to glow in the color of sunlight, "I think you've just found your light, Whitelighter."

Everyone, the Dinosaucers, the Secret Scouts, and the Joes all gasped with wonder and joy as Justin's entire body began to glow with warm, comforting aura of the sun and gold, bathing the entire body Allo, and indeed, everyone around them, shielding them with warmth and serenity. All around them, they could see nothing but the color of gold and yellow, like the purest sun, and the feeling was pleasant, warm but not overbearingly hot.

"It's so beautiful," murmured Sarah.

"Hey, it's healing all of us as well!" gasped Teryx as her injured arm began to close itself, the blood vanishing, as feeling began to return to her wing again in full glory.

"Tricero! You're going to be all right now! You're going to be all right!" gasped Montacera in joy, hugging her surrogate father, as the horrific slashes on the triceratops' back began to curdle and recover with incredible speed and coziness. Tricero gave a beam in return as he hugged Montacera gratefully.

"I can move again!" cried out Dimetro as he felt the light also heal his body internally, erasing any evidence of Toad's poisonous slime and toxins.

"Hey, how come you're not healing my hair?!" whined Quicksilver as he worriedly massaged his scalp in a futile way to protect his silver-white tresses, "Do you know what dry desert air does to my precious locks?! I mean, really, and I thought the Pantene Pro-V shampoo-conditioner treatment ten times a day was a bitch in itself! And dang it, I found another split-end!!"

"Pietro, shut up!!!" all the Misfits yelled at him.

"Congratulations, Compy, we have finally found someone even more annoying than **you**," Raptor sneered at the composagnathus Dinosaucer.

"Go sniff yourself, fang-face!" snapped Compy as he felt his current bruises disappear.

As suddenly as it arrived, the light of healing faded, and Justin felt himself emerge back into consciousness as Trinity released their hold from Justin's psyche.

"Wow, that was fun!" cheered Quinn as she was getting over the sudden high of using her telepathy. Justin and Blind Master then removed their hands from Allo's chest wound, not sure what to expect. To Justin's crashing misery, the wound had vanished…but Allo was still lifeless as ever. Eyes closed, chest still, his arms and tail limp, the leader of the Dinosaucers just quietly laid there, his back on the sand, no signs of life apparent. Justin felt his face fall as Blind Master gently wrapped his arms around the teenager in a gentle hug. It didn't work. They had failed. Allo wasn't healed in time.

For a few moments, there was only a respectful and stunned silence, apart from a weeping Teryx and a sniffing Bonehead. Even Quicksilver and Trinity felt the seriousness of the loss.

"I'm sorry. You tried your best, young one," Blind Master whispered as he felt the tears fall from Justin's face and burn his hand as if they were red-hot with anger and woe.

Allo then gave a soft groan.

"By the mother planet," Montacera gasped, starting to cry with joy as she saw Allo groggily move his limbs.

"Thank the gods, thank the gods…" whispered Bronto-Thunder with his head bowed down so that people couldn't see him silently weeping with extreme gratitude and happiness from the answered prayer. The allosaurus opened his eyes, focusing his blurry vision, and feeling the sore protest of his body from the speedy recovery. Propping himself up, Allo rose into a sitting position to see his comrades standing amongst the strangers known as the Misfits…along with the Blind Master and his son, Justin.

"Allo??" Justin whispered, trembling.

Allo gave a weak smile, saying, "Normally, in cases like this, you're supposed to call me 'Dad', Justin."

"ALLO!!" cried Justin as the allosaurus enveloped Justin into a huge hug and kissed his forehead, breathing heavily with joy and relief, eternally grateful that his son was safe and no longer in any danger. Justin didn't say anything as he felt Allo soothingly stroke his head, the dinosaur whispering thanks to any deity that was listening.

"I…I thought I lost you," wept Justin as he hugged Allo even tighter.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh," murmured Allo soothingly as he continued to rub Justin's back with one hand, "I'm here now, and it's all over. It's all over, son. I'm back, and I'm not leaving you alone."

"Yaaaay!! Allo's back from the dead! Allo's back from the dead! Allo's back from the dead!" Trinity sang as they skipped and danced around Allo and Justin.

"He wasn't dead to begin with, you nutcases! God, could you three be any **more** insensitive?!" Althea complained.

"Do you really want the answer to that question?" Wanda rhetorically asked.

"Wow! Orbing, telefinetic orbing _and_ healing?! Justin's got cool powers!" Stego exclaimed in awe as the other Dinosaucers kept cheering and hugging each other. David noted with some jest that Raptor and Compy were about to hug each other, lost in the need to celebrate, before they came to the realization and just gave each other a poisonous glare in a classic humor gag.

"It's **_telekinetic_** orbing, Stego," groaned Dimetro slightly with a roll of his eyes.

Allo then turned his attention to Wavedancer and General Hawk who were respectfully waiting to say something to the Dinosaucer.

Althea said, "Allo, we're really sorry for everything we did…to you, Justin and the Dinosaucers. Even though we were under the curse, it doesn't change the fact that a lot of damage has been done to the Lavadome base where you guys live. If you are willing to forgive us, we'd love to help you rebuild it."

Allo nodded warmly, "We'd like that, very much so."

Now everything was all right…

"General! There's something coming from the sky in the distance! Due east at a 60-degree angle above the horizon!!" Roadblock said loudly, and the tone of urgency attracted a few heads.

General Hawk, the Joes, the Misfits, and the Dinosaucers then turned their attention to the direction in the horizon with the sun slightly overhead and behind them, casting eerie shadows. Roadblock was right. There was a trail of white smoke rising from the flat horizon and at the tip of it was a firestorm of orange and red, a sure sign of something huge, something fuel-propelled, something immense. And the object was rising too steeply and quickly to be a jet, and in the way it was launched, it almost appeared to be…

General Hawk turned pale as he noted the telltale smoke of the trajectory missile, the way the rocket was already deploying the second and third phases of the boost system, the soft but distinct roar of the object breaking the sound barrier. He cursed loudly, "Goddamn it to hell!!! It's a Peacemaker!!!"

Stego then commented with oblivious simplemindedness, "That's a good thing, right? I mean, we could finally have some peace after all this fighting."

Hawk fought not to yell at the ignorant Dinosaucer as Low Light, Roadblock, and Spirit's eyes widened at the name of the missile. Hawk then clarified, "It's **NOT** a good thing…whoever you are!!! A Peacemaker is a nuclear warhead, a ballistic missile!!! From the way it's traveling in its trajectory path, it looks like its heading straight here, being guided towards this very desert we're all in right now!!!"

"What??!!!" the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts gasped.

"Damn it, if it isn't one thing, it's another!" Tricero groaned.

"Now what do we do?! With the Lavadome wrecked, we can't seek shelter that can withstand an atom bomb nor can we use our defenses to blow it out of the sky!" Struthio said worriedly.

"Could we out-run it? Maybe take our transporters and get out of here before the bomb hits us?" Stego asked.

Cover Girl then shot down the hope gently, "We can't! It'll be here in a matter of minutes, and even if we could teleport all of you Dinosaucers out of here, the radiation and blasts would devastate the surrounding cities and towns around the mountain ranges. A lot of innocent people will surely get killed from this, even if it only did focus around the desert!!"

"How do we know you G.I. Joe soldiers didn't send the bomb on us yourselves?" Bronto-Thunder said suspiciously, glaring at Hawk and Wavedancer.

Montacera then came to the Misfits' defense, "Bronto-Thunder, stop being so stubborn!! If they sent the bomb on us, why would they even **be** here in the first place?!!"

Hawk then added, "And keep in mind, I may be a General, but I don't even have the proper authority to be able to launch a nuclear bomb into American land! I don't know who sent this warhead towards you! Although, I _think_ I have a pretty good idea…"

"So what can we do then?" Ryan twitched nervously.

"Maybe we could stop the bomb by ourselves, yo," Toad suggested.

"Do you kids know anything about nuclear missiles?" Paul asked, scarcely willing to believe it.

"We know a lot about explosions…" Xi offered innocently. The others irked and face-faulted at this statement.

"We're doomed," groaned Compy upon hearing this.

"Maybe we _could_ stop the warhead from detonating," Scarlet Witch mused, "After all, with our powers, we could handle it! Maybe we could cause it to go to the middle of the ocean or somehow cause it to become a dud! It's worth a try! After all, this is our mess, so we should do everything we can to fix it!"

"But we don't anything about this bomb or how it works! If we try to sabotage it, we might end up endangering everyone even more!" Avalanche warned as Daria, Quinn, and Brittney managed to identify the schematics of the warhead with their scanners.

Trinity then spoke up eagerly, "It seems to be a LG-118A Peacekeeper missile specifically."

Daria said, "It's a U.S. Intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon launched from a silo in the ground and shot out into a ascent and descent pathway involving sub-orbital space before homing in on its target with explosive power of around 300 kilotons, more than twenty-five times the amount of force used on the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima in Japan during World War II."

Quinn then said, "It's an MIRV missile, meant to deliver the multiple warheads upon multiple targets during its re-entry into the atmosphere at once. Using its three sections to follow the stages of boost system, post-vehicle system, and re-entry system, it can use its guidance system and electronics systems to deliver blasts that can come up to more than 6000 miles in range."

Brittney then finished, "And though funded by the government during the presidential authority of Carter and Reagan, only a hundred or so missiles have been constructed with only fifty or so allowed for deployment in the Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming due to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II, which means that in order for it to be have even been launched, you needed someone with a lot of authority and the ability to go into the Air Force base to deploy the missile without trouble and a lot of red tape."

Everyone was now staring at Daria, Quinn, and Brittney in disbelief as if they were the children from the movies, "The Exorcist", "Omen" and "Rosemary's Baby" combined. Wavedancer's eye began to twitch slightly as she looked at her Triplet sisters and asked with as calm and sweet of a voice she could muster, "Heh heh…uh…Trinity…care to explain _why_ you three seem to know so much about nuclear warheads???"

Trinity then looked a tad nervous as they put on their best innocent, cute faces complete with toothy grins and Bambi-eyes before saying in honey-coated voices, "Just from doing a class project…"

Wavedancer then said flatly, "When we get home, we're doing another search on your rooms and laboratory and computer files."

"Damn," the three mutant girls said in union, deadpanned.

"You have very weird children," murmured Teryx to Spirit.

"That's the understatement of the year," groaned the Native-American G.I. Joe. Hawk then commanded to his team, knowing they only had one chance to stop this.

"Trinity, I want you to use your teleporter watches to teleport up there and somehow stop the bomb from coming here by any means necessary! Since you three appear to be the most familiar with the Peacemaker, it's obvious you three should try to tinker with it! Low Light, Toad, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver, go up there with them!! Use the Mass Device to transport onto the bomb itself! Since it's in the lower parts of the atmosphere, you should be able to breathe and still be able to help Trinity to stop the bomb!"

"Why me??" whined Pietro.

"Stop complaining and do it!" snapped Low Light.

"We'll come too, then," Dimetro, Tricero, and Itchy said as they stood up, "Hawk, since we're from an advanced civilization with technology much more developed than yours, we should be able to aid Trinity in trying to stop the warhead. And with our heavy weights, we'll be able to hang on to the missile much more easily than your soldiers, especially since we will be traveling at insane speeds in the air that there could be no possible way those kids could hang on without being blown off. We could provide the footholds for your Misfits and soldiers on this mission."

Low Light shook his head, saying, "No use endangering you Dinosaucers too. This is our problem."

Itchy then said steely, "This is our home; that _makes_ it our problem."

"You better hurry now, cause that bomb's getting closer with every second!" Blob warned in the background.

Daira then fiddled with her teleporter watch a bit before stating, "I've uploaded the coordinates of the place we should teleport. Judging from the last position our scanners picked up when we first spotted the missile, and using Newton's Laws and Parabolic Motion Theory, we calculated that this would be the right spot in the atmosphere to teleport where we could easily intercept the Peacemaker. Judging by our combined weights and with Quicksilver's ability to create gusts of winds to slow down our acceleration, we might be able to literally drop on top of the warhead before it reaches the third and final phase as it passes by. Unfortunately, we only get one shot at this, you guys. If we miss, we don't get another chance to set new coordinates again before it goes into the re-entry phase. After that, there's no changing it. The warhead will be as good as gone."

General Hawk nodded, "Go, then."

Trinity and Toad clung to Dimetro, Wanda and Pietro clung to Tricero, and Low Light clung to Itchy. Taking a deep breath, all the Misfits and the G.I. Joe soldier teleported with the three Dinosaucers, disappearing in thin air.

"Will they be all right? Could they really stop the bomb, General Hawk??" Bronto-Thunder asked. General Hawk just remained silent, brooding, as he looked at the blue sky with the telltale white streak of mass destruction.

At the same time, in the air…

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!_**" screamed the ten members of the group as they clung on to dear life on the smooth, metal surface of the Peacemaker ballistic warhead, now in the second phase, and starting its descent-path towards the desert where the Dinosaucers reside. Besides the insane speeds, the conflicting G-forces of the plummet were enough to make all of them pass out. Luckily, with Dimetro, Tricero, and Itchy managing to provide somewhat of a pillar of support and with Quicksilver constantly running around the missile to generate an opposing whirlwind to slow down the acceleration of the bomb, the members of the Misfit team were just able to hang on and remain conscious, though barely.

"You guys, hurry!! I'm not sure how much longer I can slow this thing down!! Even my speed can't levitate a thousand-ton warhead!!" Pietro shouted as he continued to circle around and around the weapon, generating enough forces to match against the winds of a mega-tornado.

"There's the panel that leads to the computer-guidance system!!" shouted Daira over the wind as she pointed to a hatch complete with a reinforced-steel door and electronic lock. With a small wave of her hands, Scarlet Witch managed short-circuit the lock with a well-aimed hex-bolt, rendering it to a useless, smoking, twisted heap of metal. Keeping one claw embedded deep into the surface as a secure hold, Itchy managed to rip the hatch door open with his brute strength and flung the door aside. Now the system of the warhead was fully exposed, and everyone could spot the sophisticated circuitry that was generating the computerized orders to the warhead. Keeping a firm grip on the nuclear missile's surface with all four claws, Dimetro managed to lean directly over the panel with Toad and Trinity keeping a firm grip on his back.

"Geez, that's a lot of microstuff, yo! How're you gonna know what to do with it?!!" Toad shouted.

"We already know the schematics of the missile from the blueprints we printed when we hacked into the Pentagon last week!!" shouted Quinn as she, Daria, Brittney, and Dimetro started to hotwire the panel, disrupting the electronic system.

"Although it is quite impressive, this technology is still basically primitive compared to our machinations back at our home planet!! We should be able to disengage the missile and render its radioactive-content useless in a matter of minutes!!" Dimetro said as he fiddled with several semiconductors of the main circuit board.

"No need to panic! All we have to do is sabotage the main panel before the missile detaches the head during the re-entry phase!" Quinn yelled. Unfortunately, by Murphy's Law…

"_Entering lower part of atmosphere; enabling re-entry phase_," a mechanical voice announced out loud from a speaker within the control panel. Before they could react, the second and third portions of started to sputter out, using up its rocket fuel, as the very top part of the missile began to fire its separate booster rockets. To their collective horrors, the head of the Peacemaker was starting to detach away from the rest of the body, and the group was still clinging on to the middle-half of the missile.

"It's taking off without us, yo!!" yelled Toad.

"It can't!!" shrieked Brittney, "The head is what has the multiple, radioactive warheads inside it!! It's the heart of the nuclear bomb!!!"

"Pietro, slow down the head of the missile with your whirlwinds!! Everybody else, jump for the head!!!" Low Light yelled, and as best as they could, the three Dinosaucers scrambled for the Peacemaker end before it could propel itself out of reach. Dimetro and Tricero managed to take a flying leap and succeeded in grabbing hold of the head. Itchy and Low Light did the same, but then to Itchy's horror, the Dinosaucer slipped with his webbed feet skidding on the smooth metal surface of the missile head. With nothing to grab on to, Itchy was about to be sent flying off the missile and directly into fiery paths of the head's booster rockets, burning hot rocket fuel and generating an inferno hot enough to melt sand into glass. The itchyosaurus would be burnt to a crisp.

"Itchy!!!" Tricero hollered helplessly as he saw his comrade lose his grip and slide off the nuclear warhead. To everyone's surprise, Low Light managed to grab the heavy Dinosaucer by the claw before he could succumb to the fires of the rocket's rear. Hanging on by a single claw, Itchy looked up to see a wincing Low Light, transformed into a shiny, blackish-gray metallic alloy, and holding on to Itchy's claw for dear life while hew kept another hand firmly clutching into the rocket's surface, actually bending the metal and making a deep impression suitably enough for a grip. Still, to hold on to a gargantuan, two-ton Dinosaucer at the speed of free-fall acceleration was not easy.

"Low Light, leggo!! If you hang on to me, you'll be torn apart!!" Itchy hollered.

Low Light hissed in pain as he shouted back, "Don't worry about me!! I transformed into adamantium, and the metal in practically indestructible!!! I can't be torn apart no matter how much the G-forces get!!" However, the solider wasn't going to mention that he still didn't feel like he was immersed in excruciating pain from being a Stretch-Armstrong doll. He then looked above at Toad, Trinity, Tricero, and Scarlet Witch before shouting, "You guys have to go on without us!! We can't do much good at this point, and you need to hurry and deactivate the missile!! Don't waste any time, just do it!!!"

Dimetro and Tricero nodded. With as much haste and care as they could muster, the two Dinosaucers and the five Misfits inched their way toward the conical apex of the Peacemaker missile warhead which contained the computerized electronic guidance system of the bomb. Toad managed to crawl to the second panel with the aid of his sticky, amphibian hands and with a blob of acidic slime, he managed to rip off the door to the second computer system. Trinity, Tricero, Wanda and Dimetro managed to hover above Todd.

"No need to panic!! We can still rewire the guidance system and put the Peacemaker off-course!!" Daria exclaimed.

"Let me try…" Quinn said as she reached out for the panel. Unfortunately, a surge of electricity immediately flashed in front of the controls as a protective barrier…and the painful, hot energy was sent coursing through the body of the eleven-year old Quinn, slightly electrocuting her. Quinn screamed as the energy snaked through her body before she lost consciousness and went as limp as a rag doll, falling out of Dimetro's protective arms. Like a bullet, the cataleptic mutant girl flew out of the missile head.

"Quinn!!!" screamed Brittney, Wanda, and Daria, their voices actually shrill with fear and dread. Itchy saw the body of the young child hurtling straight towards him, and taking a huge gamble, Itchy managed to swing a bit before snatching Quinn in mid-air before she could fly straight into the rocket thrusters' flames. Low Light fought the urge to scream in pain from the additional strain, but at least Quinn was safe.

"Hang on to me, young one," Itchy whispered protectively as he cradled the insensible Quinn to his chest like his own child.

"The guidance system must have some sort of defense mechanism!!" Tricero shouted.

"It's a Telsa barrier!" Dimetro shouted, "It's an electrical force-field basically, and from the looks of it, it can generate enough energy to fuel an entire household for a week! Quinn was fortunate not to have been killed from electric shock!!"

"Stand back!! I'm going to try to hex the barrier, allowing it for you guys to get at it!!" Wanda shouted. The other teammates complied as the gothic mutant then let out a powerful blast at the exposed computer system. With a small explosion, the Telsa barrier died…but it also took out the guidance system as well. Now, all that remained of it was a smoldering, charred bunch of lead, frayed wires, and useless, unidentifiable junk.

"Great, you just hexed the guidance system as well, Scarlet Witch!!" snapped Brittney, frustrated and unbelievably at her wits' end.

"Oops," Wanda cringed pitifully.

"Once again, it never ceases to amaze me how much my fabulous sister could screw this up!!! She could give _Toad _a run for his money!!" Pietro commented gratingly as he continued to run around the Peacemaker.

"Oh shut up, Pietro!!" screamed Wanda.

"So **now** what do we do?!!" Tricero hollered to Dimetro, Brittney and Daira.

"No need to panic!!! We can still prevent the electronics from sending the signal to launch the individual ballistic warheads!!!" Brittney yelled the last possible hope and solution.

"What good will that do?!!" shouted Toad.

"It'll lock the warheads in place and prevent the system from generating the signal to cause electromagnetic impulses to travel through the radioactive material to cause the nuclear explosion!! In other words, our bomb'll be a dud!!!" Daria clarified.

"_Computer system malfunction…_" droned the same mechanical voice aloud from the damaged control panel, "_System unable to continue trajectory. Begin premature explosion…T-minus 60 seconds…_"

The gods of Murphy's Law must have had a field day with this one…

"Uh, that's not good, is it, yo?!!" Toad asked.

"**_NOW can we panic???!!!_**" screamed Pietro.

"Okay, start panicking!" yelled Brittney as everyone around her started screaming in dread and fear. Not surprisingly, Quicksilver was the worst, if that was even humanly possible.

"**OMIGODWE'REGONNADIEOMIGODWE'REGONNADIEOMIGODWE'REGONNADIEOMIGODWE'REGONNADIE…!!!**" Pietro kept screaming over and over again while hyperventilating. Wanda had to seriously fight the urge to slap or hex her albino brother hard in the face. Dimetro then remembered something.

"Wait, what about the teleporters?!! The ones you use to transmit coordinates to your Mass Device for teleportation?!! Could we use the teleporter watches to teleport the nuclear warhead to a place where it can't do any damage?!!"

"We can't!!! No matter where we send this sucker, it'll do really bad stuff!!" Brittney gasped, "The only place we could teleport it to where it has no chance of causing any severe side-effects would be outer-space itself, but the Mass Device doesn't have enough power to teleport something _this_ big to something _that_ far away!!!"

"_T-minus 50 seconds…_"

"Wait a minute!!! What about your Dinosaucer suits?!! There was that one thing you guys were able to do that required a lot of energy, the one where you devolved back into your prehistoric forms!! I noticed it when I fought Stego and Plato!!" Wanda shouted.

"You mean dinovolution?!" Tricero frowned.

"Yeah, exactly!!! Doesn't that process give off a lot of energy?!! Maybe we could use that energy to give a teleporter watch a power boost!!!" Wanda suggested.

"_T-minus 40 seconds…_"

"I think I can!!" Dimetro reasoned with urgency, "Energy is energy, regardless of where it originates from!!! If I could attach one of those teleporter wristbands to the power-output of the Dinosaucer insignia of my uniform, I might be able to give it enough energy to be able to do the task of teleporting the warhead!!"

"And with the teleporter watch able to transmit energy signals back to the Mass Device, you'd also give the Mass Device a big enough power-surge to send this missile out of the way in space!!" Daria exclaimed, catching on.

"But we can't, yo!! I don't think one measly teleporter watch is enough to do the job!! And if we try using all of them, we won't be able to get off this thing before it goes kablooie!!" Toad shouted.

"_T-minus 30 seconds…_"

"We have to try!!" Pietro said as he dropped his teleporter watch into Wanda's hands before taking off again, trying to keep the warhead afloat, "Hurry, you guys!! Whatever you're gonna do, you better do it now!!"

Toad and Daria then also handed their teleporter watches to Dimetro as Wanda gave her brother's to Tricero, and for the first few fleeting moments was nothing but torturous, terrifying silence as the two Dinosaucers managed to touch their insignias with one claw and by using a simple power cord, transferred vast amounts of dinovolution-energy to the watches' input.

"_T-minus ten and counting…_"

"Hurry, yo!!" Toad screamed.

"It's not ready yet!!" Tricero yelled as the watches began to shake and glow softly, unable to take on so much power at once, close to breaking down.

"_Seven…_"

"We'll have to chance it!!! I've already uploaded the coordinates!!!" Dimetro yelled as he removed the two teleporter bands from his uniform.

"_Five…_"

"Hurry, Quicksilver!!! Put all three in the panel and then go with Low Light and Itchy and help them teleport away!!!" Tricero yelled and with a silver blur, Pietro hurriedly followed the order.

"_Three…_"

"Grab on tight!!" Dimetro yelled and Daria, Brittney and Toad clung to the dimetrodon Dinosaucer. Wanda hugged on to Tricero.

"_Two…_"

Pietro ran to Low Light, Quinn, and Itchy, pressing the button on Low Light's watch for the Mass Device to get them out.

"_One…_"

---

"The Peacemaker!!!" gasped Cover Girl in shock, "It disappeared!!"

"But…where's Itchy?! And the others?!!" gasped a trembling Teryx, holding her hands to her mouth, unwilling to imagine the worst. But to everyone's relief, all ten of the group appeared in front of them, the weight of what had nearly happened bringing the fatigued soldiers to their knees, with Itchy still cradling the recovering Quinn in his arms.

"Quinn!! You all right, girl?" Shipwreck pestered, almost out of his mind with worry as he ran to his daughter's side.

Quinn nodded as Low Light remarked, "Thank Itchy for that one. He was the one who saved her life."

Itchy blushed slightly as Quinn hugged the Dinosaucer lovingly around the neck. Shipwreck looked at the Dinosaucer in extreme gratefulness as he whispered, "Thank you…"

Itchy smiled, already bonding with the sailor. He replied, "You're welcome."

"Where…where'd you send the warhead??!" asked a very stunned Bronto-Thunder.

"I simply sent it to the satellite Titan, one of the moons of the planet Saturn in the solar system," Dimetro shrugged sheepishly.

"You what??!!!" exclaimed Bronto-Thunder.

"We couldn't let it cause any damage on Earth! It would have been disastrous! And it was about to explode prematurely if we didn't do something soon!" Tricero explained. Bronto-Thunder was still worried.

"But what if you sent it into an inhabited city or into some innocent civilization?"

"Oh pipe down, long neck, what are the chances anyone even lives in that sector of the galaxy anyway?" Quicksilver brushed off casually.

---

"**_AAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!_**" screamed the gargantuan ruler of the Titan kingdom, "**_MY PALACE!!! MY BEAUTIFUL, PRICELESS, GLORIOUS, GEM-STUDDED PALACE!!! IT'S RUINED!!! RUINED!!!_**"

Indeed, the colossal palace, with more than enough to room the entire inhabitants of earth many times over, and decked with priceless jewels and rare metals embedded in slabs of black, smooth marble and sparkling gold…now had a large, noticeable smoldering, radioactive crater of what used to be the west wing of the castle.

"**_MY BEAUTIFUL CASTLE!!! IT'S RUINED!!!_**" bellowed the king, still continuing in his rant.

"Oh who cares about your stupid castle?!" snapped Mistress Death, "It'll be covered by the insurance anyway!! You **_did_** pay for the insurance, right?!!"

"Oh shut up, you wrinkled, ice-cold cow!!! I swear, this is Warlock's doing, I just know it!!! He shall pay for this!!!"

"Oh, what did you expect, Thanos?!! After all, you did siphon off the energy from his Soul Gem when you pretended to help him in that battle with Magus!!!"

"Well I didn't expect him to hold a grudge against me for it!!!" snapped the mad Titan, "I swear, by the hammer of Thor, I will make whoever did this pay with their blood!!!" **(see Author's note)**

---

"Wow, this has been the most traumatic birthday ever," whimpered Justin as he felt Allo hold him tightly.

"And the day's not even over yet," groaned Compy.

"So, what do we do now, Allo?" Ryan asked the Dinosaucer leader.

"We need to rebuild the Lavadome, but as for the other pressing concerns of Cliffton and Eddington…I don't know. I honestly don't know," Allo sighed wearily.

"But what about Justin's mutation, Allo?" Tricero asked gently, "You know that Gideon will still be trying to hurt the young one in any way he can, and we don't want Justin to lose control again. What happened today could happen again…and perhaps it would be at the cost of his own life. Allo, please understand that I love Justin and I want to keep him safe. But if we don't find a way to teach him to control his mutant powers, he won't be safe."

"But…but how??" Paul queried, "None of us know how we can possibly help Justin with his mutation, and it's not that we could simply ask someone to teach him…"

Paul then had the inspiration strike him at the same time the rest of the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts realized it as well, and as one, they all slowly turned their gazes to Hawk and the Misfits, pondering.

General Hawk then smiled with sincerity.

"I think maybe we _can_ help you, Allo…that is, if you're willing…"

**Author's note: The first reference should tell people if this will be AU to the "Charmed" universe. Though it won't be in the near future, I will bring the Charmed ones into Red Witch's Misfit-verse! As for the second reference, any Marvel fan should be able to guess WHO the Misfits sent the nuclear warhead to. And I think people can guess what will happen in the last chapter next Friday, but a thousand fan-points if anyone can guess Justin's new name! Until then, read and review!**


	13. A Whitelighter Is Born

**Author's note: Happy New Years! Here's my New Years Gift to you, and just in time for the big countdown to midnight! Sorry if I was several hours late! Enjoy this final chapter! But as I promised Red Witch, we will see more of Justin and the Misfits in future stories! Just read on to see what I mean!**

**CHAPTER 13: A Whitelighter Is Born**

"…and that was had happened."

There was a thought-provoking silence as the Jugglers pondered what General Hawk had told them. There were all meeting in their secret headquarters, dressed in full officer regalia, and the bare, circular, cement room was cold and dark except for the overhead flood-lamps illuminating the three Epsilon Jugglers, Generals Hawk, Flagg…and to Hawk's disgust, Eddington. The three were standing before the panel of the more powerful and influential Omega Jugglers, the sole authority figures of the United States government, many times above the President and all his bureaucracy combined. Due to the intensity of the lights shining above General Hawk, Eddington, and Flagg, the Omega Jugglers were completely shrouded in shadows and dim darkness since they were out of the lamps' ranges. By using voice scrambler technology and generic military uniforms, General Hawk had no idea whether the Omegas were men or women, their identities as secret and elusive as the mist. There were nine Omega Jugglers on the panel: Generals White, Black, Brown, Green, Blue, Orange, Gold, Silver, and Red, and each one of them were looking directly at Hawk.

General Gold then spoke, "As informative as it may be, General Hawk, we still do not know much about the Dinosaucers' intentions while staying upon our world. It is easy for them to claim that they wish to live here in peace without anything to back-up that 'assertion'. In fact, Eddington was proposing to us that we send in military forces and do an immediate siege upon the weakened Lavadome base in order to prevent them from becoming a possible threat. After all, even now, Allo and his crew have made no offers to us or to the Pentagon to form an alliance with their race."

Flagg then spoke in defense, "It is because they wish to remain secret, Sir. If they publicly exposed themselves to the United Nations or to our government, it could cause mass hysteria. Terrorist organizations such as Cobra and Hydra could target them and truly use their strength and resources against us, and not to mention splinter cults such as H.A.T.E. and the Friends of Humanity could turn the American and world public against all alien life forms in general. Not only would this cause an unbelievable amount of chaos, but it would also make Earth a complete battlefield, considering the Dinosaucers are not the only aliens to come to this planet."

General Green sighed, "And that would truly place Earth in a galactic conflict. How can we possibly make peace with the other systems and life forms when we cannot seem to offer amnesty to one set of permanent visitors?"

"Visitors that have arrived clandestinely, I might point out, General Green!" snapped General Black, "Stop being such a daft fool in thinking that every alien race that is interested in Earth is beneficial and peace-loving! Remember that egomaniac, Lex Luthor, when he tried to make a simple technology exchange with the Krypton alien, Brainiac! He was lucky not to have doomed the entire world by selling out our planet's secrets when Brainiac tried to double-cross him!"

"But that is the thing, General Black! The Dinosaucers are peaceful and friendly! And we don't want them to think that we are trying to profit and exploit them in any manner!" Flagg pushed back.

"Speak for yourself, Flagg," Eddington scoffed, and Hawk had to restrain himself from punching Eddington in the face as Eddington then followed with, "Keep in mind, if we don't attach a rein of surveillance on these invaders, it could surely cost us in the future, especially if they do have plans of world conquest! And the Dinosaucers should know that they cannot stay here peacefully without doing us a few favors in return! Such as their alien technology and knowledge of the other neighboring systems!"

"That is true, Eddington," nodded General Silver, "The Dinosaucers should know that trust goes both ways. If they still refuse to offer coalition to the United States government, and specifically, to the Jugglers, then we have no choice but to perceive this as a declaration of war."

"Actually, there is no need to come to those terms, General Silver," Hawk broke in surprisingly, stunning everyone, including Flagg, "Because Allo has already made a pact with G.I. Joe in return for keeping them safe from Gideon and the Whitelighters."

The Omegas were certainly taken back, and Eddington had a sudden inkling of suspicion, of his goal dropping away from the grasp of his fingers.

Eddington then accused, outraged and scandalized, "This is insubordination, Hawk! We have not heard of any such entente cordiale! Those barbaric lizards are obviously lying!"

"Silence, Eddington!" snapped General Brown, "in case you have forgotten, _both_ you and Hawk are Epsilon Jugglers, and _both_ of you are subordinates to the Omegas, so we would highly advise you remember your place!"

"What is this pact, General Hawk?" General Green asked, inquisitive.

"The Dinosaucers **have** decided to form an alliance…but it is a partnership **_solely_** with G.I. Joe. In return for helping the young mutant Whitelighter, Justin, by teaching him how to control his powers and basic training with the Misfits, Allo and the other Dinosaucers have agreed to entrust us not only with Justin's care, but any helpful resources that the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts have. Already, several of the Dinosaucers are rubbing elbows with some of our Misfit handlers whom in turn will use the gifts to benefit G.I. Joe. The tech-officer and main doctor, Dimetro, is already talking with Private Dragonfly about advanced healing salves and medication, some of which are many times more efficient than our treatments. Teryx, Tricero and Bronto-Thunder are planning to bequeath a disc containing invaluable documentation about the Dinosaucer computer systems to Private Trinity. And several of the others are assembling hover-motorcycles for several of our scouting soldiers and privates back at the Pit. And Allo also promised us that if need be, in a major battle, he and the Dinosaucers shall gladly aid G.I. Joe in any way in the protection of this planet from any invaders."

"I don't believe it," Eddington groused, deadpanned, "What proof do you have?"

"The young mutant son of Allo, Justin, is already on his way to live with the Misfits back at the manor. Allo and the other Dinosaucers felt that because we helped them against the Whitelighters and because young Justin trusts Blind Master, Allo is willing to name Gabriel Moore as co-guardian. So in a way, Omega Generals, you do have an alliance with the Dinosaucers, albeit an indirect one."

"It's hardly what I'd call acceptable, Hawk!" Eddington snapped, now close to losing his temper.

"Watch it, Eddington," growled Flagg.

"I agree with General Flagg; you do not speak for the majority of the Omegas," broke in General White before turning to Hawk, saying, "But I am curious as to why the Dinosaucers chose you, a splinter branch of the American military, when they could have directly done so with us."

Flagg then answered, "As we have said before, General White, for reasons of secrecy and to prevent mass hysteria if the public had ever found out. We already had so much difficulty with trying and failing to hide the mutant factor of the world, it would be incredibly difficult for the Dinosaucers to willingly entrust the American government to keep secret of their existence. After all, there are others like Major Cliffton, fanatically determined enough to expose aliens such as the Dinosaucers and to use them for sadistic gains. It was for that reason that the Dinosaucers found it easier to trust Hawk and G.I. Joe rather than any other government organization. Due to the presence of the Misfits, they realized that G.I. Joe was probably the last organization to betray them and follow Cliffton's ideals. And it didn't help matter that the Peacemaker was sent directly to the Lavadome after the excursion with Elder Gideon and the Whitelighters."

"Actually, that is something that has been worrying me, sirs. Who sent that missile in the first place? Private Trinity and the Joe Mainframe were able to trace it back to the Warren Air Base, but no one else knew the location of the Lavadome," General Hawk frowned at the Omegas.

General Red then said in a voice that reminded Hawk of a cat, cunning, secretive…and wickedly sinister.

"Actually, it is funny that you should mention Cliffton…because it was _him_ who had launched the Peacemaker towards the Lavadome in the first place. Either he was still subjected to the hate curse on Justin when he somehow managed to spy on the battle with the Dinosaucers using satellite surveillance, or he simply felt that additional firepower was needed to wipe out everyone in the desert."

Hawk then pointed out, "That's strange, considering that a major does not even have the authority or rank to even be able to know the codes and keys needed to utilize a weapon of mass destruction."

"Are you calling me a liar, General Hawk?" If it even was possible, General Red's voice got colder.

"No, but I am saying that it doesn't add up, sir." Hawk's voice became equally cold.

"General Hawk has a point, Red. After all, it is a noticeable hole in the story," commented General Blue.

"I was about to elaborate on that, Blue. As it turns out, Major Cliffton managed to steal the codes by hacking it from the Jugglers' databases though a common military terminal. Apparently, the solider was no fool in guessing where to find his resources; it was a mistake to underestimate him. By storming into Warren Air Base and taking the respective general hostage, Major Cliffton was able to obtain and use the manual computer system to override the security and encryption locks, thus providing the coordinates to the Peacemaker, leaving the nuclear warhead to do the rest."

"How come we were not able to hear of this from the Warren Air Force base security?" General Gold asked sharply.

"Cliffton was able to shut-down all security systems, which included camera surveillance, electronic eyes, laser grids, alarms, the whole operation, thus rendering them incapable of alerting anyone of his plans. And General Townsend, the general Cliffton took hostage, was killed after he was deemed no longer useful. Major Cliffton also managed to assassinate the few soldiers and technicians that were still working at the base's central quarters, and since the officers had recently reported that the base's situation was still secure a few minutes before Cliffton came barging in, none of us were able to deduce anything was wrong until the guards failed to give another status report within the next fifteen-minute interval."

General Hawk had a cold sinkhole appear in his stomach. That means there would be no witnesses…

"Cliffton then appears to be more dangerous than he is worth," remarked General Blue.

"We will not have to worry about Major Cliffton causing any more trouble. He was killed in an unfortunate car accident while fleeing the base on a stolen Jeep. The vehicle exploded due to a fuel leak, and the body was burned beyond any possible recognition," Eddington stated.

"That is good," General Silver nodded.

"Yes, such a tragedy. Cliffton could have made an excellent Epsilon general had he shown loyalty," General Red said impassively.

Hawk kept his face blank, emotionless, but he clenched his hand into a tight fist. So now all loose ends were cut, swiftly and cleanly. And most of the Omegas did not seem very startled by the news. There was no doubt in Hawk's mind that the treachery against the Misfits and Dinosaucers involved far more than just Eddington.

He then realized that the Omega generals were silently conversing with one another in the darkness, their voice scramblers set on the minimum volume level. They must be scrutinizing General Hawk's tidbit of information.

The fate of the Dinosaucers was now in the Jugglers' hands.

After a few brief minutes, Hawk noticed that General Red and General Silver were now whispering in suppressed anger, in helpless desperation. Hawk hoped it meant what he thought it meant as the Omega Jugglers turned their attentions back to Flagg, Hawk and Eddington.

"We decided to accept this bond between the Dinosaucers and G.I. Joe in good faith, Hawk. If the leader is willing to entrust the custody of his child into the care of the Misfits and G.I. Joe, that alone shows good solid proof, proof that is enough to convince us that these Dinosaucers are more useful to us now as opposed to being dead or experiment fodder back at various labs. We have also decided to accept G.I. Joe's position as the main and **only** branch that should exist for the interests of the Jugglers," General Brown stated.

Flagg and Hawk let out a silent, yet consecutive exhale of relief while Eddington was scathingly taken aback.

General White then commented, "We will want continuous updates on the Dinosaucers, but as a whole, we feel that G.I. Joe would be the best group for the job, especially since you have not disappointed us with holding ties to Gideon and the Charmed ones from before."

General Silver griped, his voice hardened from the scrambler, "I beg to differ, White."

General Black then shot back, "Keep in mind, Silver, that your methods of persuasion and alliances tend to anger the wrong individuals, and we certainly cannot afford that with evolved dinosaurs. Remember your plans for the Charmed ones and the Slayer? You were lucky that we all decided that they were better to us alive and confidential rather than threatening to expose them to the public if they did not comply with our wishes or the Initiative. If we followed your ideals, the entire U.S. would have been overrun by demons and warlocks, not to mention that the Source would still be alive! And I would highly doubt that even _you_ would want to piss off Wiccans with enough power to turn back time or a girl with enough brawn to be her own 'one-woman army'! Like the Charmed ones and the Slayer, the majority of the Jugglers believe that the Dinosaucers are better as they are now."

"You can't do this!" protested Eddington, desperate, "It's not fair that Hawk and G.I. Joe should get all the goods on this opportunity! This is outrageous!"

"The majority has already decided on this matter, Eddington," General Orange replied, with a touch of steely warning that was heard even through the voice scrambler, "After all, if Hawk is the only one who could establish such a possible alliance with the Dinosaucers, powerful witches and an immortal race, then I would say he was able to do his services to the Jugglers quite well. Even more so than **you**."

"Let us not forget it was **_you_** who recommended Cliffton into our circle of power in the first place," General Blue said.

The underlying threat was clear: don't question the Omegas.

General Black then commanded on a final note, "This meeting is now over."

Hawk had to inwardly smile when he glanced at Eddington out of the corner of his eye; General Eddington was absolutely furious, seething. Hawk had to fight the urge to comment snidely as he and Flagg left the room along with the rest of the Omega Jugglers, leaving Eddington to wallow in his own rage and frustration. Well, almost…

"I am truly sorry, General Eddington," commented General Red, the Omega Juggler, emotionlessly as he stepped out of the shadows, "I have tried everything, but those fools refused to see it our way."

"Goddamn that Hawk," muttered Eddington, "If he wasn't lucky enough to be holding that oath over Gideon's head, we would have easily been able to have the Misfits wipe out the Dinosaucers! And I would have had the survivors used for the Neverland project had the Peacemaker accomplished its target! Now because of this, I am no closer to being an Omega than General Hawk! And that pathetic bleeding heart has now even won the support and approval of the Jugglers even more so than me!"

General Wade Eiling then gave a very cold, crafty smile, almost like a fox as he spoke to Eddington.

"A minor setback, but the real fruit of our labors shall come once later, and neither the X-Men, Misfits, nor Joes shall be able to stop it. And I will keep my promise that you shall rein in the power you so desire along with General Silver and myself."

Eddington managed to keep his voice in control as he reminded himself of the patient wait before the events of the future came to pass. In the very **_near_** future.

"I take it your precog guinea-pig, Oxymandias, was able to tell you more about the future regarding Ansem and the Heartless…"

"Of course, my dear Eddington. But in the meantime, let us concentrate on Project 'Shaggy Man'…after all, it will be our ultimate weapon, so to speak." **(see Author's note)**

000-

"It…it feels really weird...to be doing this," murmured Justin as he looked at his bedroom. Most of the Secret Scouts and the Dinosaucers helped the teenager pack his things earlier, and though the room would always be welcoming for the adolescent, his bedroom now seemed…emptier. It was hard to believe so much could happen in a single day, and already, Justin's life could not have changed more drastically.

"I can't believe the Lavadome has been repaired, fixed, and rebuilt already! It's as good as new! Everything has been restored, the rooms, the walls, even our little knick-knacks and stuff!" marveled Bonehead. It was true. In addition to Lance being able to terra-form the lands and desert back to normal, General Hawk also requested the Joe pilot, Wild Bill, to bring a particular invention from a maximum-security vault Trinity invented earlier called the molecular regenerator as Wild Bill flew in his chopped to pick up the Misfits and Joes from the desert. With the device, Trinity explained how the molecular regenerator restores matter back into its former shape, which made it ideal to fix anything that had been damaged and destroyed. In other words, the molecular regenerator made things anew. Within minutes, the mutant triplets managed to build back the entire Lavadome base. Amazed, Paul asked Althea why such a device had to be put away in a vault, and Althea hastily replied something about the leaning Tower of Pisa, the Roman Coliseum and a mass lawsuit from the European public, refusing to reveal anything more about the matter.

"Are you sure you want to do this, young one?" Dimetro asked softly as he carried Justin's one, lone suitcase, packed with only his essential possessions and the laptop Dimetro had given the teenager for his birthday, "Because this is certainly a life-changing decision, and it is certainly a drastic one."

Justin hesitated a little as they all walked down the hallway before answering, "To tell you the truth…I'm not so sure. But, the Misfits helped us, and they all have really great control over their powers…and if it wasn't for General Hawk, I wouldn't…I wouldn't…"

Justin shuddered to himself, unable to finish the sentence, but he didn't need to say it. The Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts knew that Justin, indeed Allo and the rest of the group, owed their lives to General Hawk, the Blind Master, the Joes and the Misfits.

"I can't believe you're leaving," Tricero sighed sadly, "You've been with us so long, Justin, that it seems pretty unbearable to let you go. The Lavadome is certainly going to feel empty without you here with us."

"**_You're_** the one who wanted to dump him with the X-Men in the first place," Itchy drawled, rubbing that little fact into Tricero's face. The triceratops snapped back, slightly humiliated.

"At the next weight-training exercise, I'm doubling your regimen, smart-mouth!"

"Just don't say that to the Misfits because they're still sore over what happened between each other several months ago," smirked David.

"Has anyone sighted Ryan, and Allo for that matter? Does anyone remember where in Reptilion they could both possibly be at this timeframe?" Plateo broke in worriedly.

Sarah replied, "Allo and Ryan are having a talk before Justin leaves with the Misfits."

"What **kind **of a talk?" Struthio asked a little warily, not knowing how Allo would feel considering Ryan treated Justin a bit unfairly during his outing as a mutant.

"Hopefully, one that will set my brother straight," Sarah harrumphed irritably.

As Sarah was saying this, Ryan and Allo were having a quiet discussion in the den, alone and just the two of them. Ryan, being a bit ashamed and fearful, and Allo simply being nonjudgmental and concerned, but not the slightest bit angry. This, of course, made Ryan Whitterson feel worse; after all, no one could have this much patience and compassion, especially since Ryan maliciously attacked Justin, Allo's only child. Yet Allo, despite his faults, had always proved to be somewhat of a saintly leader.

"I'm not angry with you, Ryan. Disappointed, yes. Saddened, yes. Concerned, yes. But not angry. I care about you very much, and I can't think ill of you."

"You shouldn't even bother, Allo," Ryan said thickly, concentrating his eyes on the floor, "after the way I treated Justin, I don't deserve your pity or emotion. Hell, I said all those things to him, some of which you didn't hear, and yet Justin was still loyal to me, still wanted to defend me, and he even saved me from being killed in battle! Not even Sarah has forgiven me, and I'm her brother, for crying out loud. I don't think things will ever be the same between us, between any of us."

Allo's face fell slightly, crestfallen, as he knelt down in front of Ryan so that they were eye level.

"You are right that things may never be the same…but I am sure that Sarah, David and Paul will mend the rifts along with you, if you are willing. Paul and Justin are willing to forgive and forget, and David has always been quick and impatient with holding grudges. Sarah may take the longest to feel that she can trust you again…but keep in mind, she has and always will love you. You are her family."

"You mean what's left of it," muttered Ryan, still a bit inflamed at the memory, and Allo could sense that the Secret Scout still unconsciously carried a bit of blame for Justin on that aspect. Allo then placed a claw on Ryan's shoulder, letting him know that the Dinosaucer wasn't going to be driven away.

"But now that you know it was not of Justin's fault, perhaps this is now the time you and Sarah could reunite together with your mother and father. And Justin still wishes that you and Sarah could be close again like before."

There was a pause before Allo asked Ryan gently, without accusation, "Do you still hate Justin?"

Ryan looked up at Allo's brown eyes, shocked at the bluntness of the question, before he finally managed to stammer, "I…well…no, I don't **hate** him parsec, but…I still resent him a bit because…because…"

"Because you feel jealous of the fact that Justin took over your role in my life? That ever since Justin showed up, you feel he brushed you to the sidelines?"

Ryan didn't know what to feel as he gaped at the allosaurus, and Allo then clarified, eyes twinkling, "I talked with Sarah a bit earlier before meeting you here."

Downcast, Ryan narrowed his eyes in frustration as he glared back down on the ground again, feeling a bit betrayed by his sister. He was so sure Allo would have been incredibly offended by Ryan's feelings, but what the Dinosaucer said next surprised him.

"Ryan…what you feel isn't right or wrong necessarily. How you feel is how you feel; it autonomous. And, I have to admit, yes, that you are right in thinking things have changed between us, that I was being slightly blind to see it. We aren't as close as before, and we have drifted a bit apart. I am sorry it has happened, but it is the truth. We have new lives and new responsibilities, and quite truthfully, we may not be able to rekindle the friendship we had before when you were a teenager. But I do not wish to lose you completely, Ryan; I still care about you very much. And so does Justin. He still wishes to be your friend and little brother, if you let him. And if you are not ready, give it time. I am not asking you to drop all these feelings of resentment and anger to Justin right away, but what I am asking you is to still think on whether or not you can still truly blame Justin now that you know what Gideon and the Whitelighters did to him. Whatever you feel or decide, I will respect it and it doesn't change how much I will defend, support and protect you whenever you need me."

Allo then got up and walked away, with Ryan making no move to follow the Dinosaucer. Ryan then gave a sad smile as he pondered a bit before walking out of the den, following Allo's footsteps.

Outside the newly restored Lavadome base, Wild Bill was waiting with the Misfit handlers next to his Chinook military helicopter, the metal transport painted with the army regalia of green, black, and brown and ready to fly back to the Pit. Obviously, Lance was less than pleased.

"Do we have to ride this thing?" he whined, "You guys know how airsick I get! Why can't we just teleport back to the Pit like before?"

Spirit smiled, "Because the Mass Device short-circuited and went into overload when the Dinosaucers used their energy to give the teleportation watches a boost to send the Peacekeeper into orbit. And Justin is far too young and inexperienced to depend on him being able to orb back to the Pit, adding the fact that he doesn't know _where_ it is. So, the only reasonable thing was to ask Wild Bill to fly us."

"Oh God," Lance managed to mumble as the thought made his stomach churn and his face green before going to find a place in the sand to throw up.

Wild Bill rolled his eyes in good humor, "He should be glad that there's a restroom in the copter. Avalanche'll be free to puke his guts out to his heart's content."

"How grand," drawled Sprit before turning his attention to the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts mingling with the Misfits, in pleasant conversation and commenting, "I still cannot believe it. We were sent here to try to help this alien race, only to come close to destroying it."

"It wasn't our fault completely, though. That hate curse placed on Justin affected all of us so, and caused us to only remember that all of Justin's family needs to be dismembered. Ironic that it only too a blind man to see the truth and heart to set this new recruit free. And you have to admit it is a pretty nice token to have the Dinosaucers as allies once this curse got broken," Roadblock offered, barely requiring any conscious thought for his verse.

Shipwreck looked at Blind Master with some guilt before he said, "Yeah, I can't believe we nearly killed you, Blind Master. Even though we knew what we were doing was wrong, it was…it was like we couldn't control ourselves, that the only thing that could drive us was the thought that Justin needed to die, that he needed to be punished, even though we didn't know him. We're sorry we lost control like that."

"Meh, I'm used to it considering you're practically the same way whenever you get drunk or lose your temper or make yourself look like an idiot with your crazy schemes," Blind Master chuckled.

"I'll never get over that," shivered Cover Girl to herself, "That feeling of hate, of rage. It was more powerful that every bad thought and feeling and moment in battle with Cobra throughout my service to G.I. Joe put together. I mean, we could have made the Friends of Humanity look like Boy Scouts compared to what we were trying to do, on what we felt."

"Hate is a very powerful emotion. It has nothing to offer, and it is quite hopeless, but it is a destructive driving force, Courtney," Blind Master explained, "You guys don't need to feel guilty. I came out all right, and I don't blame you. If anything, you should blame Gideon for being such a bigot to his biological son."

"I'm relieved the Dinosaucers don't blame us," Low Light remarked.

"I still can't believe we just made friends with alien dinosaurs, and not to mention managed to get a new recruit for the Misfits!" Wild Bill said as he kept eyeing the Dinosaucers with fascination, "This is sure going to be a new one in the book, I reckon!"

"And it seems like the Misfits are bonding very well with the Dinosaucers. They're actually being civil and not causing any destruction. They're not even irritating them in the slightest," Low Light observed.

"How much did General Hawk bribe them to be on their best behavior?" Shipwreck asked to Blind Master, deadpanned.

"Fifty dollars a head," smiled Blind Master.

"Looks like it didn't do much good," sighed Cover Girl as everyone in the desert heard an explosion boom inside the Lavadome base followed by Raptor screaming angrily.

"**_COOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMPPPPPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!_**"

"Best twenty bucks we ever spent!" hooted Compy and Itchy as they took off with a pursuing Raptor close behind them, wielding a metal pipe and swinging it like a baseball bat, the velociraptor covered in neon-pink foam from a shaving cream bomb.

Althea looked at Daria, Quinn, and Brittney with suspicion as the triplets put on their best angelic faces, complete with puppy-dog eyes and toothy grins. Bronto-Thunder came to Trinity's defense as he said, "Ah, don't punish them for doing us a favor. We play practical jokes on that Tyrannos all the time."

Teryx then gave the three sisters a small, compact mini-disc, explaining, "Here. The schematics of the Lavadome, including its computer system and structure, and some basic blueprints of some common gadgets the Dinosaucers used to have back at Reptilion should be enough to give you three some inspiration when you're inventing."

"Yay!" squealed Trinity as they accepted the disc with glee. Brittney then gave Dimetro a disc containing blueprints of the molecular regenerator so that the dimetrodon could build one for the Dinosaucers.

Montacera, however, was in the process of developing a new infatuation.

"He is sooooooo cute!" squealed Montacera as she cuddled against Pietro, which was starting to turn Pietro's face blue from the lack of oxygen.

"Ack! Ack! Could you let me go, please!" Quicksilver gasped.

Wanda smiled evilly, "Do you want to keep him?"

"Wanda!" Pietro shouted, aghast, as the montanoceratops teen continued to snuggle him.

"What are you complaining about, Quickie?" Todd smiled, "You're the one who always said he wanted to be a player."

"I didn't mean to a dino-girl who has enough strength to break every bone in my body! Oh God, this is just wrong! Why was I cursed with such handsome looks!" Pietro screamed girlishly as he kept trying to writhe out of Montacera's grip.

Xi, as he was taking a photograph of the embarrassing incident in order to blackmail Pietro later, asked Struthio, "So are you jealous that Montacera has appeared to have forgotten about you?"

"Actually, I'm kinda relieved," confessed the struthiomimus, "I mean, she's so young, and she's like a sister to me. I didn't want her to feel hurt when I told her I just didn't feel that way, and I sure didn't want to encourage anything with Montacera. She's just setting her sights on me because I'm the best candidate and that there's not a lot of dinosaurs around for her to chose from."

Meanwhile, Dimetro handed a jar full of green, translucent paste to the Misfit medic, Dragonfly, the slime's composition similar to that of aloe vera, saying, "Here, you could use this at your medical ward. It is the same salve we used on Blind Master to heal his bullet wounds, and you, Lifeline, and Bree could study its medicinal properties along with use it back at your base. If you need more, you could always ask Trinity to replicate some or we could send another batch to you through Justin when he comes on a visit."

Lina was ecstatic. She said in awe, "Dimetro…thank you. This is a wonderful present!"

Despite the chaos and screaming in the background, Justin said his farewells to his family. Stego and Bonehead were both hugging Justin and bawling.

"I'll come back to visit, I promise," Justin said as Bonehead and Stego sniffed.

"We'll be sure to save you a seat on the couch when the Superbowl comes up," sniffed Stego.

"Try to make sure you can come over here on that Sunday," Bonehead grinned through his tears.

Tricero was next as he hugged Justin, whispering sagely in the teenager's ear, "Don't be a brave fool and look for trouble on the battlefield. Don't think that because you have powers that you're invincible and that you could fight an entire army of opponents by yourself. Just use some common sense and humility when your training, all right young one?"

"I will," nodded Justin obediently, taking the advice to heart. The thought of being into war thoroughly frightened the teenager, but Blind Master told Justin that he needed to learn defense if he ever wanted to survive against the forces Gideon would send after him.

Teryx and Itchy ambled over to give Justin a farewell. Teryx lightly fingered Justin's hair while gently saying, "You've grown so much Justin. In more ways than one. It's just a bit depressing that we have to watch you leave when you have done so well to make a home here."

"You guys helped me by taking me in," Justin said, "I wouldn't even be here if the Dinosaucers didn't adopt me."

Itchy looked pained, his wise-cracking humor gone, as he did a fist-handshake with Justin, saying, "Just be sure to come back when Teryx and I get married. We would really want you to be there, and the invitation also applies to the Joes and Misfits as well since they're now our allies and you're a part of their family now too."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Paul and David just smiled as they gave Justin their goodbyes. Even though they could understand the sadness at Justin leaving, they knew also that this would be a growing experience for the teenager, that it was going to be very beneficial to him.

"Take care of yourself, kid," David said, ruffling Justin's hair with one hand. Justin smiled at the comforting touch of friendship.

"We'll be in touch. Gabriel was telling us how they have e-mail and phones back at G.I. Joe headquarters," Paul assured Justin. Compy, managing to evade Raptor, then came to Justin, his cocky demeanor gone and his face troubled. Justin knelt down as he hugged his loudmouthed uncle.

"And…I promise I'll be good to Raptor while you're gone," Compy said thoughtfully. Justin gave him a wry look, obviously not believing him. Compy then corrected himself sheepishly.

"OK, OK, I'll be _nicer_ to the slimeball."

Justin wordlessly gave him a deadpanned smirk.

"On holidays and weekends?"

The teenage human still didn't buy it as he folded his arms across his chest.

"An hour a week?"

Nothing short of impossible for the compsognathus dinosaur.

"A nice comment and praise once in a blue moon?"

Justin could only hope…

Compy then admitted in a frustrated tone, confessing, "All right, all right! I'm gonna treat the Tyrannos-traitor _ten_ times worse now that you're going to be gone! And I'm gonna get Bronto-Thunder and Itchy to help me!"

"That sounds more like the Compy I know," sighed Justin, sadly smiling, as he hugged Compy tightly again for a final time, "Just try to be there for him when he really needs it, though. I know you all care about Raptor."

"Yeah, right," muttered Compy, rolling his eyes.

Plateo was crying softly as he hugged Justin, for the mutant adolescent was one of the few who never got exasperated at the Dinosaucer's stuffy behavior and obsession to facts and books, who had never made fun of him, and the only nephew the plateosaurus ever truly had. Justin smiled as he wiped away some of the wet streaks from Plateo's face with one hand.

"Don't ever change, young one," Plateo managed to say, his mind a complete blank, for once.

Dimetro and Bronto-Thunder then said their good-byes and for a final time of affection, Bronto-Thunder picked up Justin and cradled him close to his chest, like a toddler. Justin slightly laughed at the moment.

"We'll do anything we can to help you if you need it with your mutation," Dimetro said simply.

"And mutant or not, if things get too hectic, you'll always have a home here, you young scamp," Bronto-Thunder said as he touched his forehead against Justin's gently, fatherly.

"Are you still uncomfortable with the fact that I'm going to the army instead of the X-Men?" asked Justin.

Bronto-Thunder confessed sheepishly, "A little bit, but then again, those nuts ain't your ordinary soldiers."

"How true," remarked Dimetro as they watched Cover Girl and Low Light attempt to strangle Shipwreck for some lewd comment.

Bronto-Thunder them placed Justin back on the ground as Struthio and Montacera gave their brother a huge hug together, the three of them in a little group circle.

"Come back soon, OK? It won't be the same not being able to hang out like we used to," Struthio grinned easily as he gave Justin a friendly sock on the arm.

"On the upside, I found a reason to go visit you back at the Pit should Tricero ever let me," beamed Montacera as she eyed Quicksilver with crazy affection.

"Keep her away from me!" they heard Pietro screaming in the background, "And Xi, give me that film!"

Raptor was next as he stood in front of Justin, his face stony, but Justin could see some hurt and pain in the black Dinosaucer's eyes at seeing Justin leave.

Raptor then grumbled softly, "Do not harden your heart, young one. I would always prefer you to be the compassionate friend you have always shown yourself to be. You are not meant to cause wars, but to make peace. Have pride in that."

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Raptor."

"I'm _not_ making it a habit, so don't get used to it, Justin."

Sarah was sniffing, as she hugged Justin tightly.

Justin then meekly suggested, "Maybe on your next birthday…we can both see your mom and dad for a visit. Y'know, to see if now's the time to make amends. I…I'd like to meet your parents again."

"I'd like that too, Justin," Sarah smiled as she gently touched the teenager's cheek with her hand. Justin nodded, but then noticed Ryan was politely waiting for his chance to make amends. The crowd observing this became slightly nervous; they weren't sure how this was going to end.

Ryan looked a bit shamefaced, and really, Justin couldn't blame him. There was a lopsided grin of remorse, but Ryan knew he owed this to Justin, especially since the teenager saved the adult's life only mere hours ago.

"Look, Justin…" Ryan began, "about earlier, after the party. I…I'm sorry I was such a jerk."

Justin shook his head dismissively, saying, "It's OK, Ry."

Ryan, however, became irked and his voice got a bit angered as he said roughly, "No, it's **not** OK, so damn it, Justin, please just listen to me!"

The audience held their breath, and it was also noted that David was holding back Sarah who looked like she was ready to give her brother a good, swift kick in the pants. Ryan sighed sadly before continuing.

"Justin, you need to admit it and stop lying and downplaying how hurt you are, just to spare my feelings. The truth is…I was a grade-A asshole, and I had no right to treat you badly or resent you like that, just because you love Allo. And I **am** sorry, truly sorry." He paused. "But please understand that you don't need to worry about sparing my feelings because I deserve to be put through the guilt trip. I can tell that you can't view me the same way as you had before when you were a kid, because I hurt you. And that hurt's going to stay with you, the fact that I just abandoned you, pushed you aside, and accused you for everything. I know you won't be able to really get over that, and I don't blame you if things will never be the same between us like before. So please, for God's sake, don't deny that you're hurt and don't try to be sensitive and understanding about everyone, just because you don't want to confront people and tell them off when they deserve it."

"But -" began Justin, yet Ryan cut off the teenager forcefully.

"Justin, not everyone is going to like you, to accept you."

Justin remained silent at this statement, so Ryan tried to push through his friend's denial.

"Justin, you can't make peace or be friends with everyone. You have to accept the truth that many people in the world, like me, are jerks and bigots, and you need to be careful. Don't try making peace and friendship with everyone you meet because the world's going to eat you up if you do. Just…instead of trying to be concerned with everyone, try being concerned with yourself first. Don't lessen your importance and hold others in higher regards, just because you think that you're useless. Justin…if nothing else, just don't let people walk over you anymore. Just fight back and stand up for yourself."

Justin then thought for a minute before he asked, "How do you feel about me right now, Ryan?"

Ryan then answered truthfully, "Honest to God, Justin….this thing about you being a mutant. I'm still not really comfortable with it, and I'm going to need some time. I'm just not used to it. But for what it's worth, I don't blame you anymore. It was really dumb and selfish of me to do so, especially since Paul was right in saying you were a victim in this whole thing."

Justin looked slightly crestfallen, but he nodded, accepting Ryan's standpoint. At least he knew deep in his heart that Ryan didn't hate him anymore, and Justin gave Ryan a friendly hug around the waist. For once after the birthday party, the thought didn't repulse the blonde adult anymore as he said goodbye. Sarah whispered to Ryan as he withdrew, "I'm proud of you, Ryan. And…and I'm sorry to, for slapping you earlier. I know how much it hurt you."

"I deserved it," Ryan said simply, smiling gratefully at Sarah for the first time in many months.

"You won't get any rebuttals from me about that one!" chortled David as he thwacked Ryan on the back, patting him with a bit more force than necessary, but in good jest.

Last but not least was the Dinosaucer leader himself…and it was all the more painful.

Allo knelt down in front of Justin, slightly trembling. Everyone, the Misfits, the Dinosaucers, and the Secret Scouts, could tell that Allo was taking Justin's leave the hardest of all. Justin already had tears flood his eyes as he hugged his father, sniffing. For one moment, the Dinosaucer leader wished that he could stop time and savor this, to not feel the pain of his heart breaking at sending Justin off, but instead, Allo just held tightly to his son, unwilling to let him go.

In understanding, Blind Master offered gently, "Justin won't be gone forever, Allo. If he wishes to go back once he feels he can adequately control his powers, we will let him. We don't want to force him to become a Misfit, and General Hawk says that Justin can teleport back to the Lavadome on a regular basis for visits with our Mass Device…or when Justin learns to orb himself back and forth. Either way…it's not a good-bye, but more like a 'see you later'."

"See you later, alligator!" chirped Daria.

"In a blizzard, little lizard!" Brittney joined in.

"In a shake, garter snake!" Quinn sang.

"Time to scoot, warty newt!" Shipwreck chuckled.

"Not you too, Shipwreck!" groaned Cover Girl, "Honestly, you're as bad as the Triplets!"

"Okeydokey, artichokey!" Shipwreck tried one last time in jest, but then Low Light managed to shove the tip of his rifle underneath Shipwreck's chin, snarling.

"It'll be hard to rhyme when your entire chin's been blasted into a million pieces, sailor!"

"Let me get this straight: we're actually entrusting **_them_** to take care of Justin?" Montacera asked in a deadpanned and disbelieving tone of voice.

"Talk about the blind leading the blind…uh, no offense, Blind Master," Struthio apologized sheepishly after realizing what he had just said.

"None taken, Struthio," the African ninja master smiled warmly.

Then Allo took out a small, black jewelry box from his pocket.

"I didn't have a chance to give this to you, my son. This is **my** egg day present to you. I…I was planning to give it once you blew out the candles, but…considering how hectic things got…"

Allo then opened the box and held it in front of the adolescent to view upon. It was a small pendant on a chain, so pure, shiny, and white, it seemed to have been made from the finest essence of silver. The pendant was a simple triangular medallion, its sides equilateral and laced with a thin border, and in the very center of the pendant was the Dinosaucer logo, a variation of the letter "D" drawn to look like a dinosaur's head. And the medallion was fitted with a pair of wings, giving it the appearance of an angel.

Allo then said in a devoted voice thick with emotion, "I made this myself, Justin. It's made from the metal-alloy of a meteorite, and it is a rare element found only on the planet Reptilion. It is indestructible, will never tarnish or rust, and will last forever. And due to its molecular density, it is lighter then most metals; in fact, it will feel as if you're wearing something as light as a feather."

"Allo…it's beautiful," Justin managed to whisper, and the dinosaur gently attached the chain around his son's neck. Justin gently fingered the pendant, feeling the hard metal brush against his fingertips.

Allo then gave a soft command to Justin, saying, "Touch the pendant with your ring, Justin. It is more than just a piece of jewelry."

Justin obeyed his dinosaur patron and did as he was told. The minute the metal came into contact with the Secret Scout ring, there was a small flash, and immediately, from the very center of the medallion appeared a small orb of light. Like a stage light, the orb projected a wide beam of white fog in the air above, large enough for everyone around to see. Within seconds, the mist cleared to reveal a projected hologram of a single picture. It was a family portrait. Justin instantly remembered it; it was a group photo taken before Sarah, Ryan, David, and Paul left for college over four years ago, and it was a last commemoration of the group still remaining. Justin saw the picture of himself, when he was twelve, sitting in Allo's lap in the center with the Secret Scouts and the other Dinosaucers gathered all around them, smiling and laughing with joy. Of course, Raptor and Compy were giving each other murderous looks and trying to shove each other in the background, but Justin would have preferred it. It made the Dinosaucers more realistic as a family, as a team.

"Wow," remarked Todd.

"It's some kind of holographic photo album," Lance said, touched. Meanwhile, behind him, Daira, Quinn, and Brittney were excitedly whispering to themselves.

"First chance we get, let's take Justin's ring and pendant to the lab where we can take 'em apart and see what makes them tick!" Brittney twittered, but Althea and Blind Master overheard them.

"Do not even attempt it," Blind Master warned with a hint of adamantium underneath. He was deadly serious.

"Try anything like that and I'll tell General Hawk who was behind the experimental '**reverse-laxatives**' that somehow found their way mysteriously into the Joes' dinner specials in the cafeteria last Monday," Althea grinned wickedly.

"You wouldn't!" Daria gasped, her face going pale.

"General Hawk is _still_ trying to find volunteers to clean up the mess, and right now, the cafeteria is quarantined as a Level 7 biohazard from the stench alone…"

At this threat, Trinity clammed up.

Allo then lifted Justin's head so that their eyes met, and the teenager was pained to see Allo's eyes brimming.

"Justin…I won't deprive you of your decisions. But…just know that I love you, and that I'm proud of you. Gideon may have not wanted you…but it's his loss. I…you're not the weak bastard-child the Whitelighters claim. Don't ever believe that. You're a Secret Scout…you're my son…and you are truly the best thing that could have ever happened to the Dinosaucers. Don't forget that, all right?"

Justin nodded, unable to speak, his throat clogged with sadness, as he and Allo hugged each other for a final time. Allo and Justin's hands remained together for a lingering moment before the Dinosaucer felt his son's hand slip away from his own. Allo just remained numb, staring at the scene with a heavy heart as Blind Master led the teenager up to the helicopter with the other Misfits. Allo just stared at the helicopter, not flinching from the gusts of sharp sand and rock that plumed from the ground as Wild Bill took off, raising the Chinook helicopter to the skies above. Allo just watched as he could barely make out Justin waving to him sadly from his window seat on the helicopter as it rose higher and higher into skies, disappearing amongst the clouds. Soon, it disappeared from view entirely.

The Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts were silent as they turned their attention back to Allo, not sure what to do to alleviate the depressing situation.

"Allo, I know you don't like it, but Justin does seem to be in good hands," Tricero murmured gently at last.

Allo gave a sigh before saying, "I may not like it…but I'll have to learn to live with it."

There was silence as Allo continued watching the sky. Bronto-Thunder then coughed uneasily as he tentatively asked, "Allo…you gonna be all right?"

"I wish to be alone right now." There was a note of infinite and unbearable sadness in that request. Yet knowing it was hard for the Dinosaucer leader, respectively, all the Dinosaucers and Secret Scouts edged away silently, walking back to the Lavadome. Though some threw back worried looks, they knew that this was something only Allo could wrestle with right now. All of them walked back to the hangar bay, and the Secret Scouts prepared to leave for home.

Allo's eyes were watering as he continued to gaze into the endless blue sky, but whether it was because he was heartbroken or because his eyes were strained from looking upwards, he could not honestly say.

At the same moment, back on the aircraft…

"You going to be OK, Lance?" Althea asked her teammate through the door of the aircraft's restroom. All she got in response was a horrible, retching noise.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," she sighed, rolling her eyes, and leaving Avalanche alone with his air-sickness to die in peace.

"So, have you thought up of what should we call you, Justin?" the Blind Master asked the boy gently as he compassionately held Justin's hand for comfort. Justin, after a moment of thought and remembering what General Hawk had called him when he healed Allo, turned away from the window next to his seat and smiled at the Misfit handler.

"Whitelighter," he said softly.

"Huh?" Pietro said quizzically, not sure if he heard right. Justin smiled even wider as he looked at his new teammates and family.

"Whitelighter," he explained thoroughly, "It's my birthright…it's what I am…so that'll be my code name. Call me 'Whitelighter'."

"It fits," Fred agreed, chuckling, as he reached over from the seat behind Justin and the Blind Master and amiably ruffled Justin's hair in a brotherly fashion. Pietro then sneered good-naturedly.

"Still, considering you're only _half_ Whitelighter, wouldn't you rather stay with the nickname 'half-breed'?" he chortled.

"Pietro!" growled Wanda and Althea as they both raised a fist threateningly, but Justin just chuckled as he shook his head.

"Yo! Why are you laughing, Justin? Aren't you angry?" Toad asked, confused and slightly shocked. Like the rest of the Misfits, he assumed that Justin would get annoyed by the albino loudmouth and would put Pietro first in his "Top Ten People to Hurt Very Badly" list. Justin, his eyes twinkling, just shook his head again.

"Nah, that's pretty mild to what I've been used to before in my past…and besides, I know he doesn't mean it. He's got a good heart deep down -"

"You're going to have dig pretty deep under his ego in order to find _that_ aspect of Pietro," Xi smirked with his arms crossed in front of him, his feet up on the headrest of the seat in front of him in a comfortable position. The rest of the Misfits and their parents chortled.

"HEY!" protested Pietro, and Justin jumped in gracefully.

"Besides, I like him. He makes me laugh…and he reminds me so much like Compy," Justin reasoned.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day when there would be a person not enamored with Pietro who could _not_ give in the urge to punch his lights out," remarked Low Light, blinking.

"It's a miracle," Fred said, deadpanned, "We finally found someone who could like Quicksilver."

"But he's your friend; you guys like him as well," Justin offered.

"'Like' isn't the word we'd use; we prefer the term 'tolerate'," Lina remarked dryly.

"I guess it's the Whitelighter in me," Justin said, shyly rubbing his hands unconsciously as he blushed, "but I meant what I said. I…I really do want feel comfortable with you guys, and even though you may be slightly nuts and unbalanced, it's nothing I haven't been used to before at the Lavadome. Blind Master says that you're good guys, so I'll trust that. And…and it's nice to meet other people like me, knowing that I'm alone…and knowing that maybe I'm not as cursed as I thought. I just want to make this work out. I really hope I can be friends with you."

"I think you'll fit with the Misfits very well, Whitelighter," the Blind Master smiled as he draped an arm around Justin's shoulders.

000-

It was nighttime with the moon shining brightly amongst the few sparsely spread clouds of the desert night and stars. Allo however was still moping in the desert, with the lights of the Lavadome base giving its artificial fluorescence behind him. Squatting on a flat bed of rock jutting out from the sandy floor, the Dinosaucer just silently took in the day's events, playing them over and over again in his mind like a broken tape-recorder, his heart colder than the freezing temperatures of the desert.

As much as Allo tried to deny it…he lost his son. Even though Justin would always love the Dinosaucers and the Secret Scouts, things could never be the same again, especially since Justin's mutation had emerged. Justin could never be the same lonely, innocent, gentle child Allo grew to love and cherish when he found him abandoned in the desert. His son was changing. It was inevitable. And Allo couldn't be more saddened about it.

Allo just sat heavily, depressed, watching a shooting star streaking across the night sky. Then, to his surprise, his intercom transmitter on his uniform beeped on as a voice gently spoke through. It was Justin, speaking through his Secret Scout ring and connecting to Allo through the Dinosaucer's communicator.

"Dad?"

Allo practically jumped to his feet, startled, flustered and a bit joyful, as if he was waiting for this possible moment.

"Justin! What's wrong? Why are you contacting me? Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"Dad…"

"Are you homesick? Do you want to come back to the Lavadome? I can get to the Pit on my spacecraft in several hours!"

"Actually, I'm kinda happy here, but I…"

"But you want to go back home for a little bit! I won't be disappointed if you wanted to give up with staying with the Misfits and the Joes! And Hawk will understand if you wanted to join back with them at a later time in the future!"

Justin then cut through his father's worried babbling a bit forcefully.

"Allo!"

The Dinosaucer leader then stopped. Justin continued.

"Dad, I'm actually kind of glad I went with the Misfits. But…I called because I thought maybe I could do something to help you feel a bit better…about things. After all, we're not…I think both of us are still a bit sad from me leaving."

Allo couldn't deny that. Then he heard, to his touched surprise, piano music playing from his communicator, and like a gentle breeze, Ginny Owen's voice drifted into the allosaurus' soul.

There was a brief period of silence after the song. Neither Allo nor Justin spoke for several minutes. Then Allo then said the two words that lifted the proverbial burden on his heart.

"Thank you…"

"Goodnight…Dad," Justin said as the liaison ended.

"Goodnight, Justin," whispered Allo in the silence as he wearily stood up as walked back towards the Lavadome, still a bit saddened, but healed nonetheless by the power of a Whitelighter.

_The End_

**Author's note: Several things:**

**General Eiling isn't mine; he is actually a character from DC Comics, but the conversation between him and General Eddington should be the biggest hint of things to come in the future of the Misfit-verse.**

**To my reviewers:**

**Red Witch: **_Without you, this fanfic would have never been made and without your Misfits, I would never have found such a spark for writing about this universe. This is dedicated to you. Thank you, and I hope you enjoyed the way I portrayed the Misfits. Feel free to write about Whitelighter if you like. And I hope you're not too bothered that the Misfits now have alien dinosaurs as friends…but then again, it's not the weirdest thing to happen to them yet._

**Sparky Genocide: **_You are also a cherished reviewer. I'm glad you got your stories up and running, and thank you too, for using Justin in your stories which prompted me to write this one. I'll see you soon hopefully._

**Asha-man72: **_You are also, without a doubt, the most sincere and dedicated reviewer to this story I could ever ask for. One of your reviews just puts me on Cloud-9 for the rest of the day. And yep, I plan to bring in the Teen Titans soon! Oh, and as for your suggestion in an earlier review…let's just say I think "Justin Moore" also has a nice ring to it._

**Dru: **_Yep, he's that Elder Gideon. I'm glad I found another "Charmed" fan in the X-Men Evolution board, and they'll come in along with the Slayer eventually. Let's just say the Misfits are not going to get much peace and lot more chaos in their lives._

**Metal Dragon1: **_Thanks, but actually, since Toad isn't Tetsukaru and Althea hasn't even tappen into her Destiny Stone, I figured Gideon's curse would still affect them. But now you actually gave me an idea in the incoming future about that. Thanks for reviewing._

**Metalomaniac: **_Thank you for the advice. It really helped actually. And I shall continue the legacy to bring more people into the Dinosaucers fandom with fanfics. Hope to see your story soon as well._

**Pauloj1983: **_Fred and Lina will get together, I guarantee it. Why do you think I only brought Lina in this universe?_

**Klinoa: **_Thanks, and you don't remember Dinosaucers? Do a Google search and you'll find stuff. Thanks again._


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